


The Eye of the Storm

by BirdOfHermes



Series: The Thirst Trials [11]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Avenger Reader (Marvel), Awkward Crush, Belligerent Sexual Tension, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Canon Divergence - Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Couch Cuddles, Couch Sex, Cunnilingus, Dry Sex, Elemental Magic, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fingerfucking, Friendship/Love, Ice Powers, Implied/Referenced Torture, Loud Sex, Male-Female Friendship, Missionary Position, One-Sided Attraction, POV First Person, Past Jane Foster/Thor, Pining, Psychological Torture, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, Sexual Tension, Shower Sex, Size Difference, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Snow and Ice, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Top Thor (Marvel), Unrequited Crush, Vaginal Fingering, no y/n, thor may be shy but he is not shy about sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-01-07 03:29:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 54,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18402206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirdOfHermes/pseuds/BirdOfHermes
Summary: After intervening during a battle and saving Thor's life, Tony Stark approaches you and asks you to consider trying out for a part-time position with the Avengers. There's just one problem: he's blond, 6'5'', immortal, and you're nursing one hell of a crush on him.An AU of my Avenger Reader character nicknamed Frosty, this time falling for a different Son of Odin.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Under Pressure](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16260653) by [BirdOfHermes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirdOfHermes/pseuds/BirdOfHermes). 



> *stares pointedly at saiansha* She will deny everything, but this is completely her fault.
> 
> This is not a retread of the Under Pressure series. The only link they have to one another is the same OFC/Reader. Everything else is different, including when we pick up the story from her perspective and other details, but you'll see the differences as they happen. Really, I'm not double dipping. I just thought this would be a bit of fun to experiment with since Frosty and Thor are BFFs in the Under Pressure series, and I am curious as to what would have happened if she met Thor first. Guess we'll just see. 
> 
> This is also AU af. I have mixed stuff together with no regard for the actual MCU timeline, so don't sweat it. Infinity War has not happened, but certain things like Thor creating Stormbreaker has, but he didn't meet the Guardians. You'll see other stuff get clarification, but just know I threw the MCU in a blender to make smoothies.

_I'm in like with you_  
_Not in love with you quite yet_  
_My heart's beginning to slightly overrule my head_  
_Oh no_  
_Oh no_  
_My self-control, it won't hold up for very long_  
_Oh no_  
_Oh no_  
_You touched my soul_  
_I can't help falling too fast for you_  
_Can you hold on a bit?_  
_Stop before we go_  
_'Cause I might need a moment_  
_And I wouldn't wanna spoil it_  
_Who knows?_  
_If I am ready or not_  
_Who knows?_  
_If we are ready to make this something..._  
_-"Who Knows" by Natasha Bedingfield_

The sky was falling.

Well, not literally, but it sure as hell felt that way when a bunch of aliens descended over New York for the second time in under a decade. Time flies when you're a vulnerable planet with hostile visitors, I guess.

There had been no warning. One minute, I'd been in an old bookstore leafing through some Shakespeare when there had been a huge tremor that rocked the entire block and then parts of buildings began crumbling and crashing to the ground in chunks. Then we could hear the gunfire from the cops and the bizarre noise of alien weapons firing back, and not long after that, the sonic boom of Tony Stark's Iron Man suit zipping overhead.

And I was stuck in the goddamn middle of it.

Again.

"Go back to New York, they said," I grumbled furiously to myself as I darted down the sidewalk towards the nearest subway station. "It'll be fun, they said."

Another explosion. I stopped dead and stared as yet another chunk of building fell and landed right on top of the entrance to the subway. Great. Just freaking great.

Then, a second later, a god landed about twenty feet away from me on top of a taxi.

Thor.

God of Thunder.

He'd landed on the taxi in your typical superhero pose, one fist and one knee down, and he looked vastly different from when I'd see him during Loki's attack on New York. His blond hair was a lot shorter and closer to a honey-brown than blond, and he had an eye-patch. His bright red cape flowed as he pushed to his feet with a roguish grin and spun the tremendously huge ax in his hands. No one knew what happened to the hammer, but there were all kinds of rumors flying about.

"Is that the best you can do?" the Norse god laughed. "Pitiful."

My mouth dropped open as I peeked above to see at least eight alien vessels floating above him with men pointing laser rifles at him. They opened fire and he spun the ax once, a casual roll of his wrist, and then leapt into the sky effortlessly. In seconds, he smashed the vehicles to bits and thrashed every last alien until they crashed to the ground in senseless heaps. He landed on the street this time, skidding a bit, and chuckled, dusting concrete and metal scraps from his shoulders.

However, missing an eye must have meant it screwed with his peripheral vision; I spotted four aliens on the ledge across the street, their rifles pointed at his turned back.

Shit.

For a split second, my brain told me not to act. There were still people running to and fro, and if I intervened, they'd no doubt start filming it and I'd be on the news again. I'd tried so damned hard to stay out of trouble, to stay out of the public eye, and this could ruin it all. It had been years since I'd been in any city for more than six months.

But I couldn't just stand here and do nothing.

"Thor!" I shouted, pointing. He didn't look up. He was too far away to hear me.

Cursing myself, I sprinted towards him and threw my hands up just as the aliens opened fire.

A wall of ice three feet thick and twenty feet tall sprang up from the ground in front of me and the God of Thunder.

The shots took chunks out of the ice, but none of them made it through. Next to me, Thor gave a start and stared up at the ice wall in shock. He didn't hesitate; once the shots stopped, he took a few steps back and then pounced the four floors up on top of the building and then soundly beat the shit out of the aliens who had shot at us. After the last one fell, I tugged my hood back up over my head, hunched my shoulders, and tried to scurry around the corner.

"Wait!"

The ground shook as Thor landed behind me and caught my arm. I winced and turned towards him most of the way, trying to keep my face hidden.

"Please wait, milady," he said, breathing hard from the fight, but his expression was achingly sincere.

"I-I should go," I muttered. "It's dangerous out here."

"That was incredible," he said, gesturing towards the glistening ice behind us. "How can I ever thank you?"

"It's okay," I told him. "You don't owe me anything."

"I owe you my life," he said sincerely, and he searched my gaze a moment more before gently letting my arm go as he noticed my discomfort. "You did a brave and selfless thing. I don't know how you came into such a power, but I am grateful for your help."

Yet another explosion toppled a building a few blocks over. Thor grimaced. "I must go. If you will not tell me your name, milady, I will respect that. May I see you again to properly thank you for your help?"

"Really," I said, blushing furiously. "You don't have to do anything."

"But I would like to, if you would allow it. The Avengers reside in upstate New York. Come there. Ask for me."

Thor smiled at me with a kind of gentleness that should have been impossible for someone so mighty and intimidating. "I hope I shall see you again, milady."

He lifted my hand and kissed the back of it. Then, in a flash of light and wind, he launched up into the sky again and was gone, leaving me breathless.

* * *

_"I hope I shall see you again, milady."_

Eight words.

Eight words that lodged themselves in my brain for the next three months.

I tried to forget them. I really did. But every night before I drifted off to a troubled sleep, I pictured Thor's warm smile and the soft touch of his lips on my skin. Every day something gnawed at me to take him up on his offer. I knew that life didn't just hand you wonderful things on a silver platter. There was no reason to believe he'd even remember me by now, and yet I thought about it all the time. It wasn't as if my life was any semblance of good; I wandered from place to place working enough to pay rent and put food on the table, but little else. It could be thrilling, maybe, to see the Avengers compound, assuming that they let me in at all.

And...maybe ever since that day in New York, I'd been tired of running from what I could do.

That was how I found myself climbing out of my Uber and waiting until it drove off before approaching the huge, high-tech looking gate surrounding the grounds where Earth's Mightiest Heroes currently resided.

"This is so stupid," I muttered to myself as I walked up the gravel path to the screen on the left side of the gate. "Why did you do this? They're probably going to call the cops and have you escorted off the grounds like a criminal. Dumbass."

I sighed in resignation as I came to a stop and tried to read the screen, but then a little digital line popped up and I heard a woman's voice say, "This is private property. How may I assist you?"

"Um, hi," I said, blinking in confusion but proceeding anyway. "This is gonna sound weird, but maybe three months ago I sort of helped Thor out and he told me to meet him here."

Silence. Well, yes, idiot, this was the wrong way to convey that information.

Then, a blue light shot out from the camera lens and scanned my face. "Identity verified. Please wait."

I frowned. "Wait, what?"

A moment later, the gate slid open. My jaw slid open too. "Please proceed inside."

I managed to get my legs working and walked up the path towards the huge, glittering silver building with that infamous A-insignia upon it.

"This has to be a joke," I said, shaking my head. "Maybe they're gonna interrogate me. Or they're just really damned bored."

And yet even as I muttered, by the time I got to the front of the building, the door opened and Anthony fucking Stark walked out. "Hiya, kid. Been wonderin' when you'd show up."

I stared at him blankly. "Um. What?"

"Yeah, the big guy couldn't stop talking about you," Tony said, edging his tinted glasses down to have a look at me. "He swore up and down you'd show up eventually. Looks like I owe him fifty bucks. Well, come on in before you melt, Frosty."

"Frosty?" I asked as I trailed the billionaire philanthropist inside.

"Yeah, 'cause of the ice," Tony said. "I mean, I can call you Elsa if you want--"

"No," I said through my teeth. "Please, God, no. Frosty is fine."

He chuckled. "Had enough of that song too, huh?"

"My God, yes."

Cold air blasted my face as the doors parted and we entered a pristine, monochrome lobby. "No offense, sir, but what the hell is going on?"

"Um, that's a surprise, so don't be a party pooper," he said, punching a code into a door around the corner from the elevators. It hissed open and he gestured. "Ladies first."

"But--"

"Ah, ah," he scolded. "Inside, please."

I mouthed uselessly, but then just gave up and walked in. I found myself in a conference room with a long table with a polished top and about ten tall, leather chairs inside. There was a whiteboard against the far wall and open windows on either side, spilling cheerful sunlight in.

"Have a seat," Tony said, striding over to the bar in the corner of the room. "Drink?"

"It's ten am, Mr. Stark."

He rolled his eyes. "I meant water, soda, stuff normal humans drink."

"Water is fine."

He plucked two bottles out of a mini-fridge behind the bar and tossed one to me. Then he dragged a chair over and sat across from me, taking a sip. He eyed the bottle. "Mm. Do you mind?"

He held it out to me. I rolled my eyes, but tapped the bottle with a finger. The outside became coated in frost and part of the water inside froze. Tony actually giggled with glee and took a sip. "Now there's a talent. Anyway, that's the surprise. This isn't a courtesy call. This is recruitment."

I nearly inhaled my water mid-sip. _"Excuse me?"_

"To be clear, this was my idea, not Thor's," he said. "Thor does actually just want to say hi and thank you for saving his bacon. However, after he told me about you, I did a little digging."

He glanced up at the ceiling. "FRIDAY?"

The far wall lit up with some kind of video footage. I nearly gave a start as I recognized myself in it. There was a man with gun pointed at a bank employee in Houston, screaming at her to empty the drawer. I'd calmly walked up behind him and froze the gun, then froze his feet to the floor so he couldn't run. Next, I saw a burning building in Chicago. A beam of pure frost shot into the highest window and the fire sputtered out, allowing the firefighters below to jump inside and get the family out. Then, I saw a bridge collapsing in Norway, but then an arc of ice stopped the chunks from crushing the people below as they ran to safety.

"And it goes on and on like that for five long years," Tony said mildly. "Incidents reported of a pretty girl with ice powers. No name, no fingerprints, no origin story. Just anonymous good deeds sprinkled here and there. Curious, isn't it?"

I turned the bottle between my hands, staring down at it. "What's your point, Mr. Stark?"

"Tell me about yourself, kid. I want to know what makes you tick. What makes a girl do these kinds of feats without ever wanting anyone to know who she is?"

I shrugged one shoulder. "The world has enough heroes. Doesn't need another one."

"I would wildly disagree. Yes, there are a lot of folks on our little blue planet with gifts, but why you? There's no record of an ice gal prior to five years ago, so what's your story?"

I took a deep breath. "I was in New York when Loki attacked. I was in a basement with other survivors, hiding, waiting for the all clear, and then some kind of alien vessel crashed into our building. The basement started to collapse. I was climbing out, and my hand brushed against some kind of reactor, and it made me..."

I exhaled, gesturing to myself. "Like this. It...took a really long time to learn how to control it. I hurt some people by accident, so I decided to stay on my own and be mobile."

I felt Tony's gaze on me, steady, but not judgmental. "Did you ever have another accident?"

I shook my head. "So you did learn to control it. Why stay under the radar?"

"I'm just trying to get by like everyone else, Mr. Stark. I don't want fame and fortune. I don't my name on someone's underwear. I just want to survive."

"I can respect that. But what you did for the big guy..." He set the bottle aside and laced his fingers, staring at me directly. "That wasn't survival. I watched the footage. You saved him when you didn't have to. You risked your life for a complete stranger, after years on the run. Some part of you is looking for something, kid. Maybe you don't know what it is, but you wouldn't have acted if that desire wasn't in there somewhere."

I swallowed hard. It wasn't easy to hear a perfect stranger notice something so vital and private about me. "So what does that have to do with you?"

"Do you remember The Wizard of Oz?"

I frowned. "Yeah. Why?"

Tony stood and paced the length of the table. "There is a man behind the curtain who has been plotting things against us for years now. Even since the New York attack. We don't know when, but we know he is coming for us. I'm the kind of guy who likes to over-prepare for that sort of thing."

He paused. "And I think you might be able to help."

"How?"

"We may or may not have an opening on our team for a part timer. Someone to put out fires, as it were, and prepare for the endgame with our man behind the curtain."

Tony's brown eyes sparkled then. "And I think you might have what it takes."

I gaped. "You...want me to try out for the Avengers?"

"If you want to," he said. "I'm not asking you to lay down your life when the time comes. I'm just asking you to consider being team support. Smaller missions. Self contained kind of stuff. If we get called away, at least we would know there's someone at home who can handle things and the world won't go to shit immediately."

For a second, I couldn't breathe. A wheezing noise escaped. I drank more water until my voice finally returned. "Mr. Stark--"

"Tony," he interrupted. "I'm old enough without the mister, thanks."

"Tony, you don't know me from a hole in the ground. What do you mean you want me to hold down the fort? I could be crazy. I could be a double agent. Hell, I could be a coward."

"Yes to the first two, no to the third," he said firmly. "Like I said, kid. I've studied up on you. You are not a coward. Maybe you're not as confident as Miss America, but you're not a coward. As for getting to know you, well, that's not my department."

As if on cue, the door slid open and the God of Thunder walked in.

And his face immediately lit up with delight as soon as he spotted me.

"Milady!" he said, grinning broadly. "There you are!"

Immediately, I broke out in cold sweat. Oh, hell. Somehow in the last three months, I'd forgotten how ridiculously handsome he was, and here I was in frayed jeans and a tank top and a boyfriend plaid shirt. One would think an immortal god from another planet would look out of place in normal clothing, but somehow he didn't; he wore a black t-shirt, jeans, and boots, and the ensemble somehow just made me realize how blue his eye was.

I stood up and offered my hand, hoping it hadn't gotten sweaty just. "Um, hi, Thor."

He scooped my hand up and kissed it, squeezing my fingers gently before letting go. "How wonderful to see you again."

Then he rounded on Tony. "Why have you so rudely apprehended my guest, Stark?"

"Just giving her the lay of the land, big guy," Tony said, barely suppressing a knowing smile. He'd picked up on my flustered state, though it went right over Thor's head. "She's all yours."

Tony winked at me and headed out of the room. Thor pursed his lips as he watched him go. "Just what was all of that about?"

"Long story," I admitted. "Very long story."

"Perhaps you'd like to tell me all about it over breakfast. Are you hungry, milady?"

Again, I stared. "W-What?"

"Yes, I thought we could get something to eat. I'm starved."

I blinked once, slowly. "You just...asked me to have breakfast with you."

"Yes."

The God of Thunder just asked me to have breakfast with him.

What in God's name have I gotten myself into?

* * *

Fun fact: The God of Thunder is apparently an enormous fan of pancakes.

There was an IHOP not far from the compound, and apparently one where they had worked out some kind of deal so Thor wouldn't get mobbed every time he went, because no one bothered him once we were seated. I kept waiting to wake up. It was too bizarre, first that I'd met Tony fucking Stark and he'd given me a job offer, and second that I was sitting across a booth from the King of Asgard.

I sat with my hands in my lap, twisting my napkin underneath the table in an attempt to channel my anxiety into something so I wouldn't run screaming from the restaurant like I wanted to. Thor got coffee and I just stuck with cranberry juice, and then we put in our orders.

"I swear to you," he said, inhaling the scent of his coffee. "Of all the things on Midgard, coffee is among the most ingenious inventions."

That got a smile out of me. I could tell he meant every word. "Yeah."

"It is second only to pancakes. It is likely I have spent my entire salary coming here for breakfast. They all know me by name."

I giggled. "Uh, I think they know your name because you're an immortal alien, Thor, not because you eat breakfast here so often."

He paused. "Ah, point taken. What about you? Are you a breakfast person?"

I shrugged. "Not really. Not a morning person."

"Ah," he said, nodding. "Truth be told, neither am I. The coffee and pancakes are the only reason I rise before noon, unless the city is on fire."

I pictured Thor with one beefy arm wrapped around his pillow, snoring loudly, and it got a second giggle out of me. "A late sleeper, huh?"

"It's terrible," he deadpanned. "Captain Rogers in particular is a pain because he often wants to go running at dawn and I am nowhere near awake that early."

 _"Dawn?"_ I sputtered. "He's not human, is he?"

"It is highly debated among our teammates." He smiled at me, and once again, my stomach ping-ponged between my other organs with how nervous it made me. "I am glad you came to see me, milady. There isn't a day that I do not think about what you did for me."

I shrank in on myself. "Please, Thor, I mean it, it was nothing."

"It was not nothing," he said gently. "I have lived a long time. Believe me when I say that bravery is rare. Not everyone is willing to put themselves in danger for another person, let alone a stranger. I do not mean to flatter you when I say this, either. It is simply gratitude, nothing more. I sincerely appreciate your help."

I had to force myself not to yank my hoodie over my head and pull it closed so he couldn't see how red my cheeks had gotten by now. "Y-You're welcome."

My answer seemed to satisfy him. "If you don't mind me asking, how exactly is it that you came into your extraordinary powers?"

I scowled. "You can thank your brother for that."

Thor's single eye widened. "Loki?"

"Yeah. I was in New York when he attacked. One of those Chitauri ships crashed and I accidentally touched a reactor, and it changed me."

"Good heavens," he said, frowning. "I am sorry, milady. To have been in New York during my brother's reign of terror...I can't imagine how awful it must have been."

I shuddered. "I try not to think about it too much. I'm just glad you guys were there. It would have been so much worse without you."

"Aye. I only wish we had stopped his army sooner. So many lives lost that day."

I winced. It was rough on him too, knowing his brother had taken those lives. We could both use a change of subject. "Tony said something about there being a man behind a curtain organizing a lot of the cosmic events you guys have had to deal with. What did he mean?"

Thor glanced to one side. "Not here. Unfortunately, there are not many people we can trust, and there is no telling how many spies he has out there. Just know that he presents a threat on a scale that is nothing short of infinite."

"Christ," I muttered. "Like you guys don't already have your work cut out for you just cleaning up our messes here on earth."

"Well, comes with the territory. A powerful force for good naturally creates a powerful force for evil in opposition."

I smiled a little then. "Every action creates and equal and opposite reaction."

He smiled back. "Aye. Is that what Stark was after you for? An offer to join us?"

"Um," I said. "Y-Yeah, I guess so, but..."

He cocked his head slightly. "But? Go on, milady."

"I can't possibly..." I raked a hand through my hair. "There's no way this would work. I'm just some nobody who accidentally got these powers. I'm not a super soldier or a covert operative or a brilliant scientist. Just some dumb girl who lived New York at the wrong time."

Thor watched me for a long moment, and then spoke again in a gentle tone. "Milady, everyone is a nobody in the beginning. Everyone. Even Stark. Even me. Then, something calls to us. A call that not everyone heeds. Some will listen. Some will not. It is for everyone to decide, one way or another."

He laced his fingers and rested his forearms on the table. They were distractingly tan and muscled, but I still didn't look away from his eye as he looked back at me. "I saw you that day you saved me. You had this look upon your face of complete conviction. You were willing to fight for me, for the other innocent people those creatures could have hurt, not just yourself. Perhaps you are not ready to answer that call, but I do not think you would have acted in the manner that you did if it were not important to you. I hope Stark did not pressure or guilt you into considering his offer. Above all, you must do what is right for yourself. Whatever you can live with. But just in case you wanted a second opinion..."

His eye twinkled. "I think you are ideally suited for the Avengers."

I didn't know what to say after such words. It made sense to me that Thor was the King of Asgard. There was just something so...regal about him, and yet he felt so accessible.

Thankfully, the waiter returned with our food and saved me from having to reply. We tucked in. I tried my best not to laugh; Thor had ordered three different entrees and practically inhaled them along with a whopping four cups of coffee. The man could definitely put it away when he wanted to. Predictably, he paid for my meal as well despite my protests. He was still getting used to our currency, though, because he left the waitress a preposterous tip.

Stark insisted that all the Avengers use a private driver to avoid too much attention, so the limo took us back to the estate. Thor once again made me blush when he offered his hand as I got out. I'd never hung out with someone so polite.

"So, um, I'm sure you have better things to do than babysit me," I said, shuffling my feet sheepishly. "Maybe I should get going."

"I'll have you know I have greatly enjoyed our time together and do not consider breakfast with you as babysitting," he chided me. "But you have many things to think over, so I understand. Please, take the limousine home. It's the least we can do."

I chewed my lower lip for a moment. "Thanks for breakfast, Thor."

Again, he gave me that warm smile. "Thank you for allowing me to take you to breakfast, milady."

"Milady," I chuckled, shaking my head. "Is that how you address all the women you meet?"

His smile turned a bit mysterious as he picked up my hand and kissed it again. "No. I do not. Farewell."

He turned and walked away without looking back.

Oh, boy.

I was in trouble already.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty mulls over Tony Stark's insane offer and maybe it's not as crazy as it sounds.

I only made it three days before I found myself right back at the Avengers compound, like a complete naive idiot, asking for Tony Stark.

"Frosty!" he said, grinning widely. "Knew you'd be back. What's the word?"

I sighed. "This is the worst idea in the history of mankind, but I would like to at least hear you out on an offer for this so-called part time position."

He rubbed his hands together. "You're not gonna regret this, kid."

"I already regret this, Tony."

"Bah, that's just bad nerves talking. Okay, here's the deal: we give it a test run. You stay here and train for about a month. We see if you're up to specs and if you are, then it's official. You'll room here for the trial basis, and if you make the cut, you can either stay or rent a place nearby. Don't worry about money or breaking your lease at wherever you're staying now; we've got you covered. I'll give you a grand tour and then you can send for your stuff."

Tony paused. "But there might be an issue."

"Which would be?"

He took a deep breath. "There is a long story about what Thor went through before he came back to earth, but the short part of it is...Loki is on earth too."

I froze. "What?"

"Not just on earth," he continued. "Here."

A rush of cold fury flashed through me. Vapor spilled out of my mouth for a few breaths as I fought to control my anger. Tony tensed, but didn't move away or anything. "If that's going to be an issue for you, then maybe we shouldn't give this a try."

I shut my eyes and breathed deeply until the stirred magic settled. "I'll...come to terms with it."

"I don't like it anymore than you do," Tony said sympathetically. "Guy threw me out of the window of my own damn building, for God's sake. But according to Thor, he's a good guy now."

I arched an eyebrow. "Yeah, trust me, I don't believe it either, but so far, we haven't had a problem. I'll try and keep as much distance between you two as possible. He mostly stays in his room anyway and only haunts the hallways at night, so you should be able to stay out of each other's hair. C'mon, let's go."

Tony explained FRIDAY's perpetual presence, the facility's inner workings, funding, and all kinds of other moving parts. As of right now, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, Sam Wilson, Vision, Wanda Maximoff, Thor, and Loki lived onsite. James Rhodes and Bruce Banner lived elsewhere, but were easily reachable. Tony, of course, didn't live here either.

The compound had pretty much everything one would need without having to leave the grounds, from a full gym and Olympic-sized pool to its own laundry service and housekeeping. There was an observation level, conference rooms, a library, and a recreation room. There was round-the-clock security as well on the outskirts of the property, so thankfully the living areas were ours without any strangers to bug us unless we called for housekeeping services specifically. The next building over had the hangar with the Quinjet and a couple other planes, including Tony's private jet. It was honestly just mindblowing. They had a whole community up here, basically.

Tony asked if I wanted to meet the team yet, but I declined since I was still too nervous and I didn't look much better than I had the first time we'd met. I wanted to at least try to look more capable when I met Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Unfortunately, though, fate was cruel, so just as we went past the pool, it turned out Thor was out for a swim.

"Milady!" he said cheerfully, pushing himself out of the water.

I swear to God, I could hear George Michael's "Careless Whisper" as that man climbed out of that pool. In slow motion.

By the time he walked over to us, I'd managed to snap out of the trance and the stupid sexy music that played in my head stopped. I used every single ounce of self-control in my entire being to look up at his face and not stare at his chest and abs.

"I knew you couldn't stay away," Thor teased. "I trust Stark has been treating you well."

"Yes," I squeaked. "It's, um, it's going well."

Tony's shoulders shook with silent laughter. "Yeah, big guy, no worries. I was just showing her all the benefits of working here."

Oh, screw you, Iron Man. He knew exactly what he was doing, dammit. Thor grinned. "Good. I do hope you'll join us. Can I tempt you to take a swim with me?"

"No," I said. "Um, not much of a swimmer, but thanks. Carry on."

He bowed to me, and then sent Stark a strict look. "Please do not scare her off, Stark."

"Trust me, Point Break, that's definitely not gonna happen." Thor headed back to the pool. The view was just as enticing from behind, by the way, pun intended.

I immediately stomped on Tony's foot and he burst out laughing. I smacked him in the arm repeatedly, which still did not deter him from cracking up.

"That. Was. Not. _Funny_." I snarled, no longer caring that I was essentially striking my boss.

"I'm sorry," Tony cackled. "I couldn't resist. You should have seen the look on your face."

"Ugh!" I stomped towards the hallway while he followed, still giggling madly at my expense.

"Oh, come on, Frosty, don't take it personal. Thor has that effect on everyone. It's some friendly hazing on my part, that's all."

"Yeah, whatever," I growled, crossing my arms. "Are we done now?"

"Almost." He led me back to the conference room and gave me a fat accordion folder. "Wasn't sure if you preferred digital or hard copy, so I got you both. Thumb drive's in the bottom. Needless to say, this is all classified and confidential. It's pretty much everything you'll need to know about us and the compound itself. There will be a test, so scurry home and study up. I'll expect you back here bright and early tomorrow for your first official day."

He gave my shoulder a fond slap. "Get some rest, kid. You're gonna need it."

* * *

As predicted, my first day of superhero training was nerve-wracking.

To be fair, it wasn't the Avengers themselves; they were all surprisingly nice and friendly. I'd been utterly terrified to meet them, but they welcomed me and asked me all sorts of questions to get to know me and see what I was about. After the informal interview, they had me do a demonstration to get an idea of the scope of my ice magic. I actually didn't mind that part. While I was always nervous about my personal interactions with people, by now, I knew my abilities inside and out. I knew my strengths and weaknesses and limitations. For the first year or two, I had hated this power inside me, but over time, I grew to appreciate it and accept it as part of myself. I had gotten it in the most fucked up way possible, but it was a still a gift in its own right.

After my demonstration, they talked to me about combat, which I severely lacked since I'd been living as a civilian all this time. Sam and Nat agreed to tutor me on the basics, and once I learned from there, Steve would take over teaching me the higher level stuff. To my surprise, Thor agreed to teach me the use of weaponry. Wanda offered to teach me how to alternate between physical combat and using my powers in the field.

To my relief, Loki did not make an appearance.

We finished most of my induction process by about lunch time and the rest of the day I spent in my new suite studying the packet Tony had given me so I'd be ready for my second day. I wanted to impress them, so after dinner, I stayed up pretty late reviewing everything. By about two o'clock in the morning, I wanted a snack before bed, so I headed out into the kitchen to see if there were any goodies hanging around. I hadn't had time to fill my own fridge just yet, but I'd take care of it soon.

I rifled through the cabinets as quietly as possible until I located some candy: Skittles. Apparently, one of the Avengers had a sweet tooth. My money was on Tony.

"Jackpot," I grinned, grabbing a pack from the box. I shut the cabinet doors and turned, only to nearly jump out of my skin as I realized I was no longer alone.

"Well, well, well," Loki, God of Mischief, purred, narrowing his cold blue eyes at me. "So the rumors were true. We have a little lost kitten among us."

I swallowed hard. There was no way he hadn't seen me jump. I tried to quell my heartbeat to no avail. Fear and anger swirled in a maelstrom inside me. I closed my fingers around the bag of candy to keep them from shaking and schooled my expression into something cool and remote as I stared back at him.

Like Thor, Loki was quite tall, but that was the only similarity between them. He was pale and spindly, and his features were very vulpine rather than open and friendly. His gaze traced over me in my unimpressive pajamas--just a big t-shirt and flannel bottoms, since it was a little nippy here--and my heart sunk as I realized this wasn't how I'd wanted to confront the bastard. I'd hoped I'd be somewhere in broad daylight doing something intimidating, like punching one of Tony's practice robots in half. No such luck.

In contrast, the man himself wore a black robe with dark green embellishments and sandals. He stood with perfectly straight posture and his hands were behind his back. It didn't inspire confidence. I didn't like that I couldn't see his hands.

"I'm not a kitten," I spat. "Thank you very much."

Loki cocked his head to one side. "You are small and helpless and you have wandered to our door alone seeking shelter. Is that not what kittens do on Midgard?"

I glared at him. "Do kittens also punch stuck up demigods in the face? Because then, yeah, I might be one."

Immediately, I regretted letting my temper flare. I was by myself. Sure, I could talk tough and defend myself to some degree, but not against a freaking Norse god. Damn it.

Loki smirked at me. "Is that a threat, kitten?"

"What did it sound like to you, Loki?"

"It sounded like someone is unaware of the danger in offering violence to a god," he said quietly, his eyes gleaming in the kitchen's low lights. "And is unaware of the consequences."

"I know the consequences just fine. You walked in here and insulted me. You have no idea who I am and what I am capable of, so maybe it's your fault and not mine."

The smirk stretched into a grin. "Would you like to show me your claws, little kitten?"

Cold vapor spilled from my lips when I spoke next. "Keep pushing me and I will."

He chuckled softly. "Funny thing about ice magic, my dear. It doesn't work on one such as me. Perhaps you should mind your manners."

"Go fuck yourself, Loki."

By the time his name finished leaving my mouth, he was somehow right in front of me.

Shit.

His hands rested on either side of me on the counter. No part of him touched me, but his immense height crowded me back against it and if I breathed hard, I'd be touching his chest with my own. I kept perfectly still, but prepared a wallop of ice magic in my left fist as he glared down at me from mere inches away.

"Careful, little mortal," Loki whispered. "I do not tolerate such talk, not even from the real Avengers."

"You have three seconds to get away from me," I snarled into his face. "Then I'm just going to take my chances, you slimy git."

Anger clouded his features. "Oh, please, do try it. Strike me. They'll never find your body."

I let a cold smile flick across my mouth. "And they'll never find your head."

"Loki!"

Both of us jumped and turned to see Thor in the doorway to the kitchen, glaring daggers at his brother. Loki straightened up as the God of Thunder marched over and dragged him away from me by the arm. "What is the matter with you?"

Loki batted his hand away. "She threatened me."

Thor didn't even blink. "Yes, well, that is what most people do when you back them up against a counter like some kind of ghoul. And I am sure she did not do it without being provoked."

Loki made a harsh noise in his throat. "You are willing to believe some simpering girl over your own brother?"

Thor widened his stance and smiled sharply at Loki. "Insult her again. Go on."

Loki worked his jaw. He flicked another annoyed look at me and then snorted softly. "To be continued, kitten."

With that, he stalked out of the kitchen and disappeared down the hallway. I let out a shaky breath and dropped the ice dagger I'd formed in my other hand into the sink. It clunked into chunks and began to melt on its own. Thor sighed and shook his head. "Milady, I cannot apologize enough for his behavior."

"It's okay," I mumbled as I refocused on the candy. "Lost my temper anyhow. Shouldn't have shot my mouth off to him."

"He had no right to agitate you." He watched me struggle with the Skittles on account of trembling fingers and then offered. "May I?"

I sighed and handed them over. He popped them open and handed them back to me. I crunched on a few until the sugar helped bring me back from the dark place my mind had gone. "What are you doing up anyway?"

"I couldn't sleep," he admitted. "And I had a bad feeling all of the sudden, so I decided to go for a walk."

"Wow. That's some good intuition." I brandished the candy at him and he smiled, holding out his palm. I poured some out into it.

"I try to have good timing, but it doesn't always work," he said, eating the candy as well.

"Guess it's a good thing you're teaching me weaponry," I said bitterly. "Might keep him from stabbing me to death in my sleep."

Thor touched my shoulder. "Milady, believe me when I say he will not lay a hand upon you. Loki likes everyone to believe he is powerful and sinister, and so he goes out of his way to intimidate others. The only reason he has just done this to you is that he recognizes you may be a threat to him."

"Me?" I sputtered. "How? I can barely throw a punch."

Thor smiled. "And yet here we are. If you were not capable of being a threat to him, he would simply ignore you."

I eyed him. "So...that was a test?"

"Yes. You did not let him scare you. He knows that now."

"Does that mean he'll leave me alone?"

"Uh."

I sighed. "Oh, great. So by pissing him off, now he's got a vendetta against me and he's going to keep trying to needle me into looking like a dumbass or goading me into attacking him so I get booted off the team?"

"Well, no," Thor said. "Loki is not that obvious. It will be in smaller ways."

He gave me a sympathetic smile. "If you like, I can tear his arms off."

I snorted back laughter. "As awesome as that sounds, no. Like I said, it was my fault for losing my temper. I'll deal with it on my own. I appreciate your offer, but I can handle it myself. I'm not a kitten. I'm a tigress. If he wants to find that out the hard way, so be it."

Thor grinned. "I like your spirit. Very well. But should you change your mind, I will tear his arms off. Just say the word."

I batted my eyelashes at him. "Aw, you're so sweet, Thor. I've never had a man threaten to dismember his own brother for me before."

He bowed to me. "Anything I can do for milady. Get some rest. We have a busy day tomorrow."

"I will. Goodnight, Thor."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty gets to know the Brodinsons a little better.

I survived my first week with the Avengers. After our little showdown in the kitchen, Loki kept his distance, and I learned my lesson of roaming the halls at night. I avoided any nighttime exploits strictly to keep from getting into a brawl with him, not out of fear, but part of me almost wanted to do it again just so he wouldn't think I was afraid of him. Loki didn't scare me, but he did put me on edge. Tony had said he'd been rehabilitated, but you couldn't much tell from our conversation. After all, technically, he could kill me and stash my body God-knows where and the Avengers would simply thought I'd cut and run. I was an orphan, after all, and some orphans habitually ran off from time to time. So I decided to swallow my pride and be a good girl and stay in my room after everyone went to bed. For now, at least.

Besides, the insomnia wasn't as much of a problem because my daily training and workout sessions had me dragging my ass back to my room, showering, and falling asleep the instant I touched the bed. Understandably, each Avenger was insanely talented in whatever their expertise happened to be, and trying to keep up with them was the hardest thing I'd ever attempted. For good reason, none of them went easy on me. If I wanted to be tested in a month, the pace was unforgivable. I had to cram so much studying of various fighting styles and knowledge of alien tech or Hydra tech that I barely had time to myself.

By the second week, I had at least passed through the initial gauntlet of their training. I lost count how many times I fell on my ass or got the wind knocked out of me by one of them. But I still stood up every single time and tried again.

Midway through my second week, though, the Avengers got used to me be around, and so things went from polite to cordial and from cordial to friendly. I watched TV with Nat and Sam sometimes or watched Vision and Wanda play chess or spotted Steve when he would weight-lift (not that I could help, but he was thoughtful enough to ask me anyway) or observed Bruce and Tony's experiments in the lab.

Which left Thor.

I...may have been avoiding him a little bit.

But only so I wouldn't make a total idiot of myself in front of him.

Thor and I worked an hour a day on weaponry. He wasn't at all like I thought he would be. He was firm and gave me excellent tips and guidance, and he never reprimanded me. He picked a rapier for my weapon of choice, since it was light and I could wield it easily. He was actually extremely agile for a man his size, and he kept me on my toes every second we fought. Then afterward, he always invited me to go swimming and I always declined, but he didn't seem to mind. It became part of our habit. Maybe he thought I'd change my mind someday.

Our dynamic changed for the first time as we rounded the weekend after my second full week with them. I lay on the couch in a tank top and yoga pants, headphones in, reading an e-book. Thor's head popped up over the top of the cushion and he gave me his usual friendly smile. Naturally, fate decided to fuck with me, because the moment he appeared, the Shuffle function on my phone switched onto "Dreaming of You" by The Coral.

 _"What's up with my heart when it skips a beat_  
_Can't feel no pavement, not under my feet_  
_Up in my lonely room_  
_When I'm dreaming of you_  
_Oh, what can I do?_  
_I still need you but I don't want you now..."_

"Milady," his lips said to me.

I popped my headphones out and sat up, smiling easily back at him. Nervous or not, it was not hard at all to smile at the God of Thunder. "Hey, big fella. What's up?"

"I am hoping you might be able help me with something," he admitted, plopping down next to me. In his large hand was a cell phone, of all things. "Stark insisted that I keep this infernal device upon my person so that I am kept in the 'loop'--" He made air quotes and I giggled. "--and I am having the most trouble with it as of late. Perhaps you might be able to help."

"I can certainly try. What's up?"

He showed me the screen, his other arm sliding around the back of the couch. He smelled wonderful; that calming earthy smell of a forest after it rained. I fought to concentrate on what he was saying. "I have become rather fond of Midgardian music, and that is primarily the only thing I use this blasted thing for aside from when I get a text message from someone. However, I have no idea what I have done to it, for I cannot find any of my music. It took me forever just to figure out how to get it on there and that was only thanks to our lovely Agent Romanov."

"Okay." I fooled around with things, checked his settings, and investigated further. After a few minutes, I figured it out. "There. You accidentally deleted the music app, but it doesn't mean it's gone forever; if you go back to the App store and re-download it, voila. It's back and good as new."

Thor stared at me in amazement, and then his phone. "Wait, really?"

"Yep."

He let out a little laugh and scooped me up, spinning me around in a victorious hug. "Milady, you are brilliant! I've been trying to fix this for weeks! What a marvel you are!"

"It's no big deal," I laughed. "I promise. Easy fix."

Thor set me down, still grinning, and then seemed to notice his arms around me. He let go and gave me an apologetic look. "Oh, forgive me, milady. I've forgotten my manners. I know you do not like to be touched."

"It's okay," I said, tucking my wayward hair behind my ear. "Um, really, I don't mind if it's you."

I blinked and winced as I noticed how it sounded. "I mean, I don't like it if strangers touch me, but you and I are kind of friends now, so it's okay."

Thor's supernova smile returned. I wanted to bathe in its glow, honestly. What a smile. "Yes, I suppose we are friends now, aren't we? Are we on a hugging basis now or shall I refrain?"

I chuckled. "Interesting way to put it, but hugs are fine, Thor. I promise."

"Good." He flexed one bicep and gave me a deadpan look. "That is precisely what these muscles are for, you know. I am the best hugger on the entire team."

I burst out laughing then. I couldn't help it. I'd never heard or seen anything so ridiculous in my entire life, and yet somehow it sounded entirely believable from Thor. He grinned again upon seeing me in gales of laughter and eventually it died down to giggles. "One last thing, milady. Have you any music recommendations for me? I get them from the other team members from time to time, and I would love to hear your favorites."

"Oh," I said. "Um, sure. What kind of music do you like?"

"Here, have a look. " He gave me the phone again and I scrolled through his playlists. He had a ton of music, and it ranged pretty widely from 90's era hip hop to 70's rock.

I chewed my lip as I thought over what he may not have heard yet. "I've got an idea. How about I just take this for a bit and make you a playlist of new songs and you can pick your favorites and just delete the others? It should only take about five or ten minutes."

"That would be delightful, thank you," he said. He was genuinely excited by the idea, and for some reason, that made me happy.

"Okay, be right back." I scurried to my room, opened my laptop, and let my mind supply as many songs that I thought he'd like from my substantially large collection and added them into a playlist. I returned with his phone and showed him where the playlist was in his music folder.

"I cannot wait to give them a try," Thor said. "Thank you again, milady. I shall let you know what I think post haste."

"Again, it's nothing. Hope you like them."

"I am certain I will." He gathered me up in a quick hug, giving me a little squeeze, and then bid me goodbye as he headed towards his sparring session with Steve.

And...I had to admit...for a second there, I hadn't wanted him to let me go.

* * *

Midway through my third week, as I approached my test date, things inevitably took a turn.

By now, I'd learned enough techniques that now I wanted to hone them, so every night I slipped out of my room after I was entirely sure Loki wasn't lurking about and I went down to the gym to practice. I practiced for just a couple hours between midnight and two am when I knew no one else would be up, since most of them were early risers and wouldn't stay up late. I stretched and exercised a bit, and then I ran through my combat training, and then worked on refining my ice magic, and then cooled down with weaponry practice. The team, so far, had noted my progress and kept it documented, showing me examples of how far I had come and that I was on track with where they wanted me to be.

It was...terrifying to think in a week-and-a-half, I'd either be on the team or back out on the streets by myself. I was so grateful for the opportunity and for what I'd learned so far, but I'd been having trouble sleeping lately as my anxiety about passing their test grew stronger with every passing day. I realized I wanted to belong here. Not just because they were extraordinary beings with extraordinary powers, but because it was actually very fulfilling to be here. To actually try for something instead of just running away from my problems. To maybe belong somewhere for once. I'd never had a home before. I'd never wanted one. Loki's attack had shown me the world could take everything away from you in just a second.

Why would I want to risk loving something only to lose it?

Or...hell... _someone._

The practice bots Stark designed were basically decommissioned Iron Legioners, and they were empty shells with no A.I. so we wouldn't appear to be beating up something with any sort of consciousness. I liked to spar with them just because they didn't have any human limitations, so they could push me hard and I wouldn't have to worry about hurting anyone. They also have specific settings, so if I found myself overwhelmed, I could adjust until I got to a place where I could keep up.

I swung the rapier at the bot's ankle and it toppled over with a crash. I steadied myself and breathed deep, examining where the blow had landed and concluding that I felt good about my progress. I straightened and shut my eyes, letting the cool air from the vent dry some of my sweat.

Then I heard someone behind me start slow clapping.

Fuck.

"Look at you, kitten," Loki said with an exaggerated tone of wonder. "Bearing your fangs and swiping with those little claws."

I took another deep breath and didn't bother turning around. "Don't you have anything better to do, Loki? Shouldn't you be hanging upside down from a ceiling somewhere?"

A low, throaty chuckle crawled across the floor and up my spine. It took everything in me not to shudder. Loki's voice hit a pitch that made me itch sometimes. It wasn't exactly fear, either. His voice had a smoothness like fine chocolate, and normally, it would be extremely attractive, but the cruelty in his tone ruined everything. "You have such a sharp tongue, kitten. I worry it will only get you into further trouble someday."

"It's not your job to worry about me," I grumbled as I shook the tension out of my arm and then lugged the broken robot across the floor to the repair pod. I heaved it inside and the pod closed. I could hear whirring. It would finish up by morning and have it back good as new.

When I turned, Loki stood a good three feet away. He wore Asgardian clothes again, but much more casual: a black tunic and trousers and boots, no cape or other adornments. I forced myself to relax. Loki was like any other predator. Like a snake. The harder you struggled, the harder he squeezed. My best chance to survive him tonight would be to avoid giving him what he wanted.

"It isn't?" he asked. "Is that not what your Avengers are doing? Fretting over the kitten's every movement, hoping to keep it safe from the things that lurk in the darkness?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Do you hear yourself when you say this ridiculous shit?"

He didn't even bat an eyelash at the question. "You know what I am talking about. They have kept you from me on purpose."

"So?"

"I want to know why."

"Because you're an asshole. There. Are we done now?" I started to stomp past him, but he intercepted me.

"No," he said, those piercing blue eyes boring into me. "We are not, kitten."

"I am not a goddamn kitten," I snarled. "You can take that little nickname and shove it up your narrow ass. You don't know a single fucking thing about me, Loki. What makes you fit to judge me?"

Again, he gave me that dry laugh. "Oh, darling, I know you. I know exactly who you are. Just because you have not seen me in this compound does not mean I have not been observing you."

I glared at him. "So now you're stalking me?"

He rolled his eyes. "Hardly. Concealment is specialty of mine. I have watched your pitiful attempts to ready yourself for whatever test the Avengers will give you, and I know that you will fail. If you have half a brain inside your head, you will simply steal away in the night to spare yourself the embarrassment of your inevitable failure."

Something panicked seized my heart. I gritted my teeth. "You think I fucking care about your opinion? You don't know everything."

"No, but I know you lack the spine to be an asset to their team."

I laughed. "Of course you'd know all about spine, wouldn't you? How quick did you change your tune when Thor showed up in the kitchen the first night we met?"

Loki's hand shot out and wrapped around my throat.

"You would do well not to mention my brother, kitten," he whispered from inches away. "Lest I lose my temper."

"Lose it," I whispered back, cold vapor spilling out from between my lips. "See what happens, God of Mischief."

I tapped the flat of the rapier against his upper thigh. Even with him being Asgardian, the blade was sharp enough to sever his femoral artery if he so much as squeezed my neck the tiniest bit. He stared me down and then smiled. "Mm. Finally, something interesting from you."

He tilted his head slightly. It was a shame he was such a violent asshole prick. He was stunningly handsome up close. "Your power. Tell me where it came from and perhaps I shall let you go."

"Sorry," I said flatly. "Read the autobiography. Now get your hand off me before you lose it."

"You will not swing that blade. I'll crush your throat before your hand moves an inch."

I smiled at him. "Bullshit."

"You do not want to test me, kitten."

"If you kill me, you'll be dead by morning."

"What does it matter if you are still dead as well?"

I shrugged a shoulder. "Petty revenge from beyond the grave, maybe."

He chuckled again, but this time I heard the difference. It was lighter, less condescending. I'd...actually amused him that time. Weird. "Foolish, aren't you, little one?"

I reached for his wrist, but then he squeezed. "Ah, ah. Don't get overconfident."

"Let. Go. Of. Me."

"Then tell me what I want to know."

"What part of the word 'no' do you not understand?"

He exhaled and then shoved me away from him, hard enough that I stumbled. "Such an irritating girl. Fine. Then I'll pry it out of the oaf."

I rubbed my throat. Ugh. Damn him. I'd have bruises, probably. "What makes you think he'll tell you anything?"

"I am his brother, not his conquest," Loki said dryly, lifting an eyebrow. "He confides in me."

 _"Conquest?"_ I sputtered.

"Yes. You are sleeping with him, are you not?"

 _"What?"_ I screeched.

Loki frowned. "Wait. You mean to say you moon over my brother this badly and you have not at least shared his bed?"

"I--no--what the hell are you talking about?"

He shook his head. "Unbelievable. I knew you were spineless, but this is ridiculous."

"I don't moon over Thor!"

Loki rolled his eyes. "You could not be more obvious if you stripped naked and performed the bawdiest ballads in the English language in front of him."

"Fuck you, Loki," I growled, cheeks burning.

He gave me a slow, private smile. "Oh, you would like that, wouldn't you?"

My cheeks got even redder. "Go to hell."

"Oh, have I made you bashful, kitten? How quaint. Seeing as you are not my brother's lover, perhaps I should stoop to seduce you myself. After all, it would be insultingly easy. All I have to do is climb out of a pool and you'll be at my feet in an instant, begging me to--"

He didn't get any further. I shot a sheet of ice at his feet. Loki slipped and fell right on his ass mid-sentence. I memorized the sight with the utmost smug glee.

"Oops," I said, batting my eyelashes. "Cat got your tongue?"

Loki struggled to his feet beside the ice patch. "You wretch."

"Takes one to know one."

"Insult me again and I will flay the skin from your skinny little bones, mortal."

I almost sputtered in disbelief. "You started it, you Hot Topic-wearing, goth diva!"

His long, thin fingers flicked a dagger in my direction. I dodged to one side, and then realized it had been diversion. A second later, Loki pinned me to his chest, the blade of another dagger underneath my chin. I'd been too slow to raise the rapier in time to block him. I clung to it, but it was pointed away from him, and he was too close for me to have a clean shot before he slit my throat.

"One little slice is all it takes, kitten," he purred, close enough to kiss me. "Just one. You are living a fantasy. You are not one of them. You are a passing fancy. Something to amuse them for the moment, but rest assured, you will be tossed aside like so much trash."

"Why do you even care, Loki?" I demanded, breathing carefully but not hiding the fury in my voice. "I thought you'd want to watch me make a fool of myself and then be dismissed. Aren't you the God of Mischief and Chaos?"

"It is neither mischief nor chaos to watch a foolish girl play at being a warrior. Lives will be lost if they are so busy looking after you that they are not ready for Thanos and the hell he brings with him."

I froze. He stared at me. I stared at him. Then it clicked.

This wasn't hatred.

This was protection.

Loki's head reared back an inch or two. "Ah. So it finally dawns on the silly pet at long last."

"That's redundant," I muttered. "Now get off me."

He worked his jaw, but then slowly withdrew the dagger and unwound his arm from around my back. I put the rapier back on the rack with the other weapons. Didn't need it anymore.

"I'm not going to drag them down," I said quietly, my back to the demigod. "I'm not going to get them killed."

I took another breath and added even softer. "And I won't hurt Thor."

"I do not care if you do anything to that buffoon."

I smiled a little and shook my head. "Yes, you do. I heard about what happened with Jane. You're worried that he'll get mixed up with another human and get hurt again, not be on his A-game when Thanos comes for the stones. And because you're his brother and despite being a massive douchebag, you love him."

"Do not pretend to know my feelings."

"I'm not pretending anything. I like Thor. I care about him. I want him to be safe. I wouldn't hurt him. I'd die first."

"If you ever need help with that last part, you have but to ask me."

I rolled my eyes again and faced him. His eyes snapped up to meet mine. I almost snorted. Arrogant god or not, he'd been checking out my ass. It amused me to no end. A man was still a man, alien or not.

"Look, if you're so sure I'm gonna fuck up the team dynamic, then why don't you give me some pointers on how to get good enough to be an asset to the team?"

Loki snorted. "Why would I do such a thing when I have no regard for you?"

"You have regard for my ass."

He scowled. I smiled wider. "And if you agree to help me, I'll tell you about my ice magic."

Loki scrutinized me for a long moment. "I will consider your idiotic proposal and return tomorrow night with my answer."

He offered a mocking little smile. "Good night, kitten. Dream of me, won't you?"

"Up yours, you melodramatic serpent."

He gave me that dry laugh again, his eyes twinkling before he turned and slithered away into the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nat gives Frosty a bit of advice, and for once, Frosty actually takes it.

I found Natasha in the kitchen the next morning, halving a grapefruit.

“Hey, kiddo,” she said. “Want this other half?”

“Sure.” I grabbed a small bowl and a sugar packet, dusting the fruit with it and digging two spoons from the drawer. I handed her the other one. “By the way, I’m onto you.”

Nat lifted her eyebrows as she took a seat across from me at the island counter. “Pardon?”

I peered at her. “Thor came by yesterday and asked me to fix his phone.”

“What’s that got to do with me?”

“He said you’re the one who got him set up to begin with, so I imagine he asked you first and then you told him to ask me.”

Nat’s green eyes sparkled. “Now, why would I do that?”

“Look, it’s bad enough Tony teases me constantly. I don’t need you also meddling.”

“I’m not meddling.” She gave me a sly look. “I’m…facilitating.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, knock it off. I have enough things to worry about with my test day coming up.”

“You can multitask.”

“Nat—”

“You need to have some fun,” she insisted. “And Thor is pretty much the epitome of fun. And he absolutely adores you.”

She paused and then smirked. “And vice versa.”

I groaned. “Not you too.”

“Sorry, kiddo. You’re a lot of things, but you’re not very subtle. He’s so sweet he hasn’t noticed yet, but trust me, everyone else has and they’re totally on board for this to happen.”

“Oh, come on, Nat. I have zero chance of catching the eye of a Norse god.” I paused. “No pun intended.”

“You’ve already caught his eye. You should hear the way he talks about you. His whole face just lights up and he gets really excited. It’s adorable.”

I flushed red. “He…talks about me?”

“Of course he does. He’s so excited about how far you’ve come with your training and he thinks you’re sweet.”

I squirmed in my seat. “Thor likes everyone. I’m not an exception.”

She sighed. “Oh, boy. Someone’s done a number on your self-confidence, haven’t they? All I’m saying is it’s not all in your head. And it’s not that farfetched that just maybe there is something between the two of you. I’ve seen you together. You get along great. Just think it over.”

“Yes,” I said mildly. “Let me just contemplate dating an immortal superhero god-slash-king.”

“Hey,” she said with a wink. “Stranger things have happened.”

* * *

Natasha’s pep talk pretty much lodged itself in my head all day long, so by the time I met with Thor that afternoon for our usual training, I might as well have been sweating bullets from being so nervous. Was she right? Was he sweet on me and I hadn’t noticed? It was so hard to tell with him, as he was so wonderful to everyone, even his rotten brother. The only obvious thing my stressed-out brain could cite was the whole “milady” thing, as I’d verified with both Nat and Wanda that he only called me that, no other women on the team, not even Valkyrie.

Hell, on the off chance that he did like me that way, what in blue blazes was I supposed to do about it?

To be frank, I knew jackshit about men. I’d had a few paramours before the accident that gave me my powers. After that, I chose not to date. I hadn’t had a crush in years, and maybe that was why it seemed so obvious to the other Avengers that I had it bad for him.

And besides, I really did have to consider that fact that he was the King of Asgard. What would I look like next to him on a throne with a crown on my head? It was a ludicrous idea, to say the least.

I withdrew from my fevered thoughts as we broke apart, having finished our hour of training. Thor spun the swords in his hands and gave me a little bow. “You are deadlier by the day, milady. By the time it is test day, you’ll have bested me in a match.”

“Oh, hush, you giant flatterer,” I fussed, even as it made me smile bashfully. “I know you’re going easy on me to a ridiculous extent.”

“I have been increasing the difficulty day by day, and you have kept pace with me. I do not flatter. I genuinely mean it when I say you are doing splendidly.” He and I replaced the weapons on the wall together.

“Now, care to join me for a swim?”

“Sure, yeah.”

I blinked at myself. Wow, where had that come from?

Thor’s face split into a delighted grin. “Excellent. Meet me at the pool in ten minutes.”

“Okay.” I turned and headed for my room, completely shocked at my own behavior. My mouth had just blurted it out. I really had meant to say no. Clearly, me and my brain weren’t on the same page. Good thing I actually did own a bathing suit, too, or I’d have looked even more foolish than usual.

I met Thor at the pool and thankfully, no one was there but us or I’d have chickened out. Thor wore a pair of red swimming trunks, and once again, it took every single bit of self-control to meet his gaze. God. What a body. You could grate cheese on those abs. His shoulders were so broad and his biceps were so defined and he had that delicious upside-down-L thing going on with his hip muscles and I wanted to just run my tongue all the way down to his—

“So,” Thor said, mercifully interrupting my lustful train of thought. “I take you don’t know how to swim?”

“Yes and no,” I admitted. “I know the motions, but for some reason, I always sink to the bottom. I can’t float to save my life. Maybe I just have dense bones or something.”

“It’s not too hard to learn to counteract it,” he said, stepping down into the water. “I’m sure I can teach you how to float.”

He stopped when he reached the last step and smiled at me, offering his hand. Oh, boy. _Thump, thump, thump_ went my poor little heart. It was way too weak to withstand the sight of the King of Asgard treating me with such care.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat and walked towards him, but then he stopped me. “Don’t forget to take off your shirt, milady.”

I blushed. “Um, can I leave it on?”

“No, it will create extra drag when you try to swim.”

I fidgeted. “Oh.”

“It’s alright, milady,” he said in a softer tone. “It’s just the two of us. No need to feel self-conscious.”

“Says the gorgeous bodybuilder,” I told him, lifting an eyebrow, and he laughed.

“Nonsense. You are far lovelier than I and you have nothing to be ashamed of.”

He was going to kill me. I just knew it. In the end, I sighed and shucked off the t-shirt. My bathing suit was nothing special—just a plain navy one with white stripes running down the sides. It didn’t have some kind of dramatic low-cut top or fancy flattering designs. It was just simple and efficient.

I got legitimate butterflies in my stomach as I took Thor’s hand while I stepped into the pool. The usual burst of goosebumps flooded over me and I shivered, but by the time we waded into the chest-high water, I got used to the temperature.

What’s more was that he didn’t let go of my hand along the way. Meep.

“The first thing we must do,” Thor said as he faced me. “Is relax.”

His smile widened. “Which I understand might be a little hard for you. Forgive my impertinence, but you are rather high-strung, I’ve noticed.”

“Everybody’s a critic.”

“I do not mean it as an insult,” he assured me. “Just that it is something we must overcome as we get started. Close your eyes.”

 _Gladly,_ I thought. I’d be spared the temptation to stare at his chest with my eyes closed.

“Now, breathe deeply, nice and slow. Release any tension you feel in your limbs.”

I tried not to frown. My heart was pounding. It was hard to focus when I knew he was only an arm’s length away and watching me.

“Try not to think of where you are right now,” Thor continued. “Think of somewhere you’d like to be. Somewhere that you feel safe and calm.”

I thought of being in my room with a few candles burning, reading a book in bed. Gradually, I managed to relax.

“Good,” Thor said. “Now, I’m going to ease you in. Try to focus on a point on the ceiling and don’t think about trying to float. Your body naturally wants to float, so you don’t have to concentrate; only take deep breaths. Fill your lungs completely with each breath.”

He wrapped one arm around my back and tilted me until my ponytail touched the water. I tensed a bit as I felt it creeping up against my ears and my cheeks, and Thor’s soothing baritone reminded me to relax. “I’ve got you. Easy. That’s it.”

I picked the highest point of the ceiling and focused on it as my legs left the bottom of the pool and straightened out. Thor kept his arm underneath me, standing to one side and supporting my weight.

“Next, focus on your core. Is it alright if I touch you a little more?”

My brain short-circuited for a second. I managed not to squeak just barely. “It’s fine.”

His other hand brushed over my stomach, right above my belly button. It was warm and firm and strong, and his fingers stretched across nearly to my hip. _My, Thor, what big hands you have. I’d really like to find out what other things you can do with them_ —I kicked my brain soundly and made myself listen to him the next time he spoke.

“Focus on this spot to straighten out and hold yourself above the water,” Thor said. “And now you can start to kick lightly. You can move your hands to help stabilize yourself.”

He started to take me around in a little circle as I treaded the water, one hand on my stomach, the other on the small of my back. I shut my eyes and focused on the sloshing sound of the water, the echo of my breathing in my ears, and Thor’s quiet words of encouragement. He eventually lifted his hand from my tummy—which I immediately missed—but not my spine until we’d made a few rounds and I didn’t sink straight to the bottom like always.

“I’m going to let go for just a moment. Is that alright?”

“Go for it.”

He let me go. I did not sink. I managed to stay afloat on my own, to the delight of the both of us.

“See?” Thor said with a grin. “You did it.”

I couldn’t help a sheepish grin in return. “Thanks. Although with ice powers, I could just cheat and make some kind of raft.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” he chuckled. “Much better to do it yourself. Let’s do a few laps.”

As much as I hated to admit it, Natasha was right. I had such a blast swimming with Thor that a whole ‘nother hour went by and I didn’t even notice. Once we started getting pruny, we got out and sat with our legs in the water, chit-chatting.

“Your music suggestions were fantastic, by the way,” he told me. “I have kept nearly every song on that playlist. You have good taste.”

“Pfft,” I snorted. “You might be the first person who has ever said that to me.”

“You do,” he said sincerely. “There is one that gets stuck in my head all the time lately. Let me see, how does that one go…?”

He squinted, thinking about it. _“This is the story of a girl who cried a river and drowned the whole world, and while she looks so sad in photographs, I absolutely love her when she smiles.”_

“Aw,” I grinned, nudging his arm. “Thor, you’re a big softie on the inside, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” he said. He glanced down at his hands and added a bit softly, “That song reminds me of you, actually.”

 _Thump, thump, thump, thump._ I bit my lip. “Oh. Really?”

“You have come very far. You’ve had a lot of odds stacked against you, and yet here you are. And you have not let the world harden your heart too much. True, you are shy and withdrawn, but I have seen how you blossom once you are comfortable. Everyone likes you.”

“Except your brother.”

Thor rolled his eye. “Everyone who matters likes you.”

I laughed then. “Right. Thanks, Thor. That’s very sweet of you to say.”

I started to lean back on my hands, but my fingers brushed over Thor’s and I jumped. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s alright.” He paused. “I mean, if you wanted to hold my hand, you just had to ask—”

I slugged him in the arm, which in no way hurt him, and he chuckled heartily. “There is nothing wrong with that, you know. We are friends, after all.”

I pursed my lips at him. “And do you hold the other Avengers’ hands?”

“Hey,” he said, offended. “The Hulk is very affectionate when he wants to be.”

I laughed again. “My mistake.”

He smiled, but didn’t say anything, twiddling his thumbs. He was asking without asking. _Thump, thump, thump, thump._

I finally rolled my eyes and laced our fingers together. That got me another great big grin from him, but he still said nothing. So we sat there for a while, just holding hands and watching the water lap against the sides of the pool.

Afterward, we went our separate ways. I took a shower and curled up in bed, swiping through my phone until I found the artist Ninedays. I lay back and listened to “Absolutely (Story of a Girl)” and drifted off into a nap with a smile.

 _“This is the story of a girl_  
_Her pretty face she hid from the world_  
_And while she looks so sad and lonely there_  
_I absolutely love her…”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jfc these two are so effing cute and I love them together already and we're not even in the naughty stuff yet dur-hur-hur...


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty has a late night with the sons of Odin.

By the time Loki knocked me to the ground the tenth time, I decided there was no point in counting.

To his credit, the God of Mischief never used the same technique twice. Therefore, it was almost impossible for me to predict his movements. He was too agile and too strong. He could lurch for me before I could see it. He could swing his dagger before I could block it. He could trip me by the ankles and sending me crashing to the ground with barely enough time to catch myself. And every time, he punctuated my failure with a cold recitation of the word, "Dead."

"Honestly, kitten, why even bother getting up?" he asked boredly, flipping the dagger between those slender fingers as he watched me force air back into my lungs. He'd tagged me good that time, right in the solar plexus, right when I thought maybe I had a slight edge since I'd made it a whole minute and a half this time into our sparring. "I'll only have you down there again in a moment."

I let out a weak chuckle. "Phrasing."

The flash of pain in my abdomen subsided and I shoved myself to my feet again, scooping up the rapier. Not that it would do me much good. Loki was having the time of his life kicking my ass. He would never outwardly show it, but I could see the eager glee in his eyes at making me suffer and reminding me of our difference in power.

"A glutton for punishment, I see," he drawled, letting his gaze roll over me. "It would admirable if it was not so pointless. How much longer shall we proceed before it sinks into your thick skull that you have no chance?"

I rolled one shoulder, cracked my neck, and smirked at him. "Maybe another hour or so. Think you can handle that, Loki? Or are you just gonna talk me to death?"

The only warning I got this time was air displacement. He appeared behind me. I swept the rapier at where I thought his neck would be, but he instead twisted that lithe body and flipped me over his legs. I hit the mat on my back in a heap, and in a second, he had me pinned to the floor by the wrists. My rapier clattered to one side, reflecting my own pained, frustrated expression back at me. Ow.

Loki stayed above me, completely calm, not even breathing hard. He didn't put any weight down, but my waist was snugly between his thighs. There went all hope of shoving myself to my feet or kneeing him in the crotch. I didn't struggle. No point. I just lay there, blinking stars away and trying to get the wind back in my proverbial sails.

"That tongue is going to get you into so much trouble, kitten," he told me. "I am thinking of removing it for the sake of your own safety."

"Oh, come off it, Loki," I grumbled. "Then you'd have no one else to insultingly give pet names to."

He smirked. "True. I do love how much you hate my little nickname for you. I refuse to use the one bestowed upon you by Stark. It is undignified to say the least."

"It is, but I've heard worse."

"Mm. Do you despise your real name that much, kitten?" He said it, drawing the syllables out. I almost shivered. There was something intensely wrong with hearing Loki say my real name aloud.

"Nicknames are usually a sign of fondness and familiarity," I said. "I don't mind it. Except in your case, because you're just trying to make me feel helpless."

"You are helpless."

"I am not," I snapped. "Just because I can't beat you off doesn't mean I can't beat anyone else off."

I froze and then shut my eyes, cringing. Loki laughed. Not chuckled, but actually, genuinely laughed. I'd never heard it before. It was unsettling, but not a bad sound even if it was at my expense. "And now who is the one with the unfortunate phrasing, my little pet?"

"I'm not your pet," I muttered, cheeks burning. "Now are you going to make a point? You're squishing my pelvis into Play Doh right now."

"Very well." The amusement drained away. I missed it a bit. He was a pain in the ass, but at least I liked him better when he was making fun of me. "You are unready. Thanos would not even bother to kill you himself. He'd send one of his fledglings to do it, and they are not as merciful as the Mad Titan. They will kill you slowly. They would make you beg for mercy and they would still not grant it. That is what it means to fly the flag of the cruelest, most dangerous being in the universe."

I swallowed hard. "How...do you know all this?"

Loki winced. He tried to hide it, but we were too close together. "That is none of your concern, mortal."

I stared up at him. Then I spoke quietly. "New York."

He squeezed my wrists and spoke through clenched teeth. "Do not speak of that day or I shall crush you beneath me like the insignificant little worm that you are."

I almost smiled. "I thought I was a kitten. Get your insults straight, God of Mischief."

He slammed his fist right next to my head. "Do not joke to me, girl! Thanos will not have my head because you are so incompetent that you cannot even block the simplest of attacks, that which children on Asgard are taught. You are pitiful. Pathetic. You would not survive even the most basic assault. Will you accept your incompetence or shall I continue this ridiculous charade until your weak little body falls apart?"

He glared at me. I just kept smiling at him. Confusion sunk into his expression. Then, gradually, he shifted on top of me.

And felt the five inch long, finely honed blade of ice I'd formed over one knee.

"Funny thing about ice magic," I said. "Doesn't have to come out of my hands to work."

Loki cocked his head to one side. "Finally. A well-thought out, tactical counterattack. I thought I'd die waiting for one."

He pushed up until he knelt and snapped the ice blade off my knee, flipping it in his hands. "You are not an impressive girl, but I do admire the craftmanship in your ice magic. You couldn't not even see your legs from where I towered over you and yet this is an excellently designed blade."

I blinked at him. "Uh. Thank you?"

Loki narrowed his eyes at me. "And you owe me an answer for humoring you. How did you come into these powers?"

I licked my lips. Silence stretched. His gaze didn't waver. I swallowed past the lump in my throat, but my voice still came out hoarse. "New York. I touched a reactor on a Chitauri ship by accident."

Loki studied me. "As I suspected."

"What?"

"I had a working knowledge of their technology and its effect on Midgardians," he said, staring dispassionately at the ice blade. "However, you are the first I have ever heard of to survive an integration of that energy into a mortal form. It usually kills them on contact."

I shivered. Of the many times I thought I would die that day, I hadn't thought that it was strange touching the reactor didn't kill me. "So why ask?"

"That is none of your affair, kitten." Loki stood. "Again."

I stood and picked up the rapier. "You're not teaching me anything, you know. That was part of the deal."

He rolled his eyes. "Are you so dense that you cannot tell that it is precisely what I am doing? I have shown you eleven different tactics by which to disarm and kill you. If you complain again, I will leave you high and dry to fail on your own. Now will you cease your mewling and let me carry on with the other eighty-five--"

 _"Eighty-five?"_ I sputtered in disbelief.

"--or shall I bid you adieu?"

He had another eighty-five tactics to show me. Which involved knocking me around every single time he showed me a new one. Oh, joy.

Loki stared at me, annoyed, expecting rejection. Instead, I sighed and brought the rapier to the ready position. "I guess you were right. I am a glutton for punishment."

Loki's lips tilted upward at one corner and his voice came out supremely satisfied. "Then hurt me, my little kitten, if you dare."

* * *

I couldn't sleep. I was too keyed up and bruised to do so.

It wasn't that much further to my room, but I gave up and flopped onto the couch in the recreation room and fired up Netflix. The nice thing about having ice magic was I could literally ice down bruises with just a hand over the painful spots, but it still sucked waiting for them to go numb. One advantage of these powers was that I had a healing factor, so bruises healed by the next morning usually. Loki had gleefully beaten the stuffing out of me and told me that he would expect me to have counterattacks to everything he showed me by tomorrow night. So not only did I let him kick my ass, I'd let him give me homework too. Jerk.

I didn't have any brain power left to actually pay attention, so I just went for the easy stuff: Disney movies. I'd seen pretty much every one of them multiple times. It would just be good noise while I waited for my aches and pains to vacate the premises.

"Milady?"

I almost shot right off the couch in alarm.

Thor had appeared to my left, and from the confusion on his face, maybe I'd zoned out and he'd said my name a few times. "Oh. Hi, Thor. Sorry. I'm a little out of it."

"Of course you are," he said. "It is nearly three am. What are you doing up?"

I chewed my lip for a second. Thor definitely wouldn't be groovy with the knowledge that I'd spent the last hour and a half sparring with his brother. "Just the usual insomnia. What about you?"

"I get restless on occasion," he admitted. "Sometimes I only need four hours of sleep before I get the urge to rise. I didn't mean to intrude, though. Would you like to be alone?"

My insides went all gooey for a second. Truly, he was a gentleman. It was so sweet of him to ask. "No, please, join me. There's enough couch and Disney movies to go around."

"Thank you." He sat next to me. "What is our cinematic masterpiece for the night?"

" _The Emperor's New Groove._ Ever seen it before?"

"No, actually. Captain Rogers and I sometimes pair up to catch up on everything we've missed in the Midgardian library of films known as Netflix, but there is so much content I cannot get to everything. However, I know of these Disney pictures and they have quite a reputation for being good."

"They really are," I agreed. "You definitely need to binge the classics."

"Ah," he said brightly. "The classics, you say? Tell me, what are those?"

I regaled him with some of the history of the Disney animated canon and then started _Emperor's New Groove_ from the beginning. Truthfully, while I loved this movie, I wasn't so much watching it as I was watching the God of Thunder enjoy it. He laughed in all the right spots, his smile bright in the intimate darkness, his laugh so rich it should have been fattening. And he didn't seem...uncomfortable next to me. He'd stretched one arm out along the back of the cushion behind my head and had relaxed as if he belonged there. I envied him for being able to just be himself. He was wonderful.

I didn't remember falling asleep.

The sound of someone opening the fridge woke me. It wasn't loud or anything, but I knew something was off because why would someone be in my apartment rummaging through my refrigerator?

And then it dawned on me that I was still on the damned couch.

With Thor.

No, not just with Thor.

_On top of Thor._

I couldn't figure it out with my muddled, sleep-deprived brain, but at some point maybe he'd nodded off and I'd cuddled up to him. We lay flat on the couch length-wise. My head rested on his chest near his breastbone. The slow, rushing sound of his breath echoed in my ears. He breathed deeply in his sleep, and every odd breath had a faint snore in it. He'd wound one arm around my back, his hand a warm, heavy weight against my spine. He had one leg sprawled up along the couch cushions and the other straight out. I lay between them, and essentially, was _in his lap_ as I'd been sleeping.

And, of course, before my brain could properly process any of this new information, Thor woke up.

He blinked slowly, once, twice, and then gave me the world's cutest sleepy smile. "Good morning, milady."

_Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck McFuckerson._

_Say something, idiot!_

"Um," I croaked. "Morning, Thor."

"About time you woke up," Nat called from the kitchen, her voice deeply amused and teasing. "It's almost nine o'clock, slackers. Come help me make breakfast already."

I sat up and scooted out of his lap, staunchly ignoring just how warm and comfortable he'd felt underneath me. Thor yawned and sat up as well, somehow entirely unfazed that he and I had literally slept together on the couch. No big deal to the God of Thunder apparently. "Yes, yes, we're up, no need to fret."

"Um," I said, edging towards the hallway. "I'm gonna go freshen up. Be right back."

I scurried to my room without another word, locked myself inside, grabbed a throw pillow, and screamed into it.

I'd. Slept. With. _Thor._

I stomped into my bathroom and glared at my frazzled bedheaded reflection. "You. Complete. _Moron._ I cannot believe you fell asleep on top of him. What is the matter with you?"

I continued berating myself as I washed my face, brushed my teeth, gargled mouthwash, and flossed. Midway through my tirade, my phone chimed. Against my better judgment, I checked it.

There was a text from Nat.

And it was a picture of me and Thor asleep on the couch together.

"...I'm gonna kill her."

The phone chimed again. This time, it was a message from her.

_Snug as a bug in a rug, Frosty. Told you he likes you. ;)_

I flushed red and slammed the phone down to the counter, but the damage was already done. I'd looked...hell, I'd looked completely at peace in Thor's arms, sleeping on his chest like a content little kitty cat. I hadn't ever seen a photo of myself sleeping. I'd been so used to my usual Resting Bitch Face that it was a little startling. I almost looked...happy.

And so did Thor.

"Fuck," I mumbled to my reflection, deflated and defeated. "I'm in deep, aren't I?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally Test Day. Will Frosty make the cut?

“Hypothetically speaking,” I said after sinking down into Natasha’s comfortable off-white couch, drawing my legs up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them so I’d feel the tiniest bit more secure. “If we lived in some alternate universe where I pass the test next week and it was remotely possible for Thor to reciprocate my hypothetical feelings…what would I hypothetically do about it?”

Nat raised an eyebrow. “Good to know you’re coming to terms with everything realistically.”

I glared at her. “Do you want me to leave? I’m already uncomfortable enough.”

She chuckled. “Alright, take it easy. First of all, he likes you. We both know that. The question is how far along the two of you are in your relationship.”

I blushed. “W-We’re not in a relationship. We’re just friends. And even that is kind of new.”

“Nothing wrong with that. Starting out as friends can actually be a huge benefit. You already know each other’s likes and dislikes and you’re comfortable. Or semi-comfortable in your case. You have extremely defensive posture.”

I opened my mouth, but she held up a hand. “That’s not an accusation. I’m stating a fact. You were alone for a very long period of time. It makes you inherently protective of yourself. Aside from this morning, have you and Thor been in regular contact with each other?”

I buried my face between my knees as my cheeks lit up. “We…may have…platonically held hands the other day.”

Nat chuckled again. “Platonically? You are so cute, you know that?”

“I am not.”

“Sure you aren’t. Anything else?”

I fought the urge to squirm. “I let him hug me if he wants to sometimes.”

“And how often is that?”

“Pretty much anytime he sees me, unless he’s sweaty from working out.”

“That’s good. You’ve already broken the touch barrier, so that makes things easier. Now all you have to do is make the overtures.”

I peeked at her from over the top of my knees. “Overtures?”

“Yeah. Let me tell you a little secret.”

I perked up even more. “Go on.”

“Men are _idiots_ ,” Natasha said severely, to which I laughed heartily.

“Well, I already knew that.”

“No,” she insisted. “Really. They are idiots, to a degree that we underestimate it. You will have to be so obvious with your intentions that you’ll only be a step away from stripping naked and doing Uhura’s fan dance.”

My jaw dropped. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. You can throw every last clue their way, and you can think to yourself ‘there is no way he doesn’t know I like him’ and meanwhile he’s thinking about the next time he needs to get his oil changed. Trust me, men need giant neon signs to tell them we’re interested.”

I squirmed. “I’m not so good at that part.”

“You don’t have to be good at it,” she assured me. “Just be yourself, but go a little bit further with your usual body language.”

“How?”

She thought about it. “Well, you already mentioned ‘platonically’ holding hands. Do that more often. If you guys are watching TV, put your legs in his lap and see what he does.”

“How will I know if it’s okay to touch him, though? What if he doesn’t want me to?”

“Let me ask you this: if you’re standing or sitting next to him, is he close to you? As in you wouldn’t have to fully extend your arm to touch him?”

I considered that. “Yeah, I guess so, recently at least.”

“If men don’t want to be touched, they keep a wide berth. Thor wouldn’t be shy about that sort of thing. In his own sort of way, he may be trying to communicate that he doesn’t mind if you want to touch him. Plus, there are other hints that he likes you That Way. For example, think about the last time you’ve had a conversation with him. Does he look down at your lips sometimes?”

I started to protest, but then bit my lip and ran back through my head. Well, he did glance down at my lips when I spoke to him. I hadn’t noticed until I had to concentrate and think about it. “Sometimes.”

“Then it’s safe to say he’s probably thought about kissing you.”

My whole face engulfed in flames. I thought steam would start shooting out of my ears. “He has not.”

She rolled her eyes at me. “He absolutely has. The groundwork for physical attraction has already been laid by now, trust me. You just have to be willing to take a shot.”

“But when?” I whined. “I have the worst timing. I have no idea what would be the right time to even try for something like that with him.”

“You’ll feel it, trust me. You think I don’t know that? I’ve been dating Mr. All American Boy Scout, for God’s sake.”

I nodded sagely. “That is a good point. Steve is very conscientious. “

“And shy, despite being so handsome,” she added. “And while Thor is incredibly outgoing, I think he too is a little shy when it comes to romance. So you have to meet him halfway. Trust me, he’ll catch on quick. He’s just waiting on you, girlie."

Natasha stood and headed for the kitchen, smiling and winking at me over her shoulder. "Don’t make him wait too long.”

* * *

I had never been this nervous in my entire life.

I sat at the end of the conference table, chewing my lower lip, staring at the closed door hiding the Avengers within a smaller, more private room, wishing super-hearing had been a part of my powers. Test Day had been a long, rigorous process and now I'd reached the deliberation stage. I wanted to get up and pace. I wanted to find a pillow and scream out my pent up nervousness into it. I wanted to get a napkin and shred it into pieces just to have something to do with my hands. They'd been gone for fifteen minutes so far and every passing moment made me more and more anxious. Was it a good thing they'd been gone that long? Or a bad thing? Hell if I knew.

I shut my eyes and leaned my head against the back of the chair, attempting to count backwards from 100 in order to give my fried little brain something to do. If being an Avenger was half as stressful as being considered for the job, maybe I didn't need to be one.

I couldn't tell if it was a second or an eternity later, but the door finally opened and Steve appeared. He smiled at me and nodded to one side. "We're ready for you."

"Right," I squeaked, jumping to my feet and nearly tripping in my haste. "Thanks."

He gave me a warm pat on the back when I brushed by him. He could probably see how nervous I was, bless him. I walked into the smaller room and all of them--even Loki, who lingered in the back of the room with a mug of tea, leaning against the wall--sat around another, smaller table. To their credit, every single one of them wore neutral expressions so I still couldn't tell one way or another what the previous conversation had been like.

"Welcome back, Frosty," Tony said, pushing to his feet. He brandished a fat file that likely had all of my stats and progress reports in it. "Sorry for the wait. We had a lot to go over."

"I-It's okay," I mumbled. I tucked my hands behind me so they couldn't see them shaking. "Um, I just wanted to take a second to thank you guys for this opportunity. For everything. I never dreamt I'd get to meet such wonderful people and learn so much from you. Regardless of your decision, I'm deeply honored to have gotten the chance to try. I think...it's something I needed to do. To go after something I wanted. To stop hiding from who I am. I appreciate your patience and understanding and I want you to know that if I don't make it in, I'm still so happy I got to meet all of you."

Tony smiled at me. "Thanks, kiddo. So, before we say anything, how do you think you did?"

I sputtered. "What?"

"Really. We want to know what you think about your own progress."

"I...is this a trick question?"

He chuckled. "No trick. Be honest."

"I'm not sure how. Isn't it kind of a trap? It could make me sound overconfident if I assume that I passed, but I could also sound like I have self esteem issues if I assume I failed."

Tony glanced at Bruce. "She's like one second away from taking your crown as the overthinker of the bunch."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Tony. To clarify, he means what are your feelings about what you've learned here? About this environment? About the threats that you'd be facing? It's not about if you think you passed or failed. What's changed since you first got here?"

"Oh," I said. I frowned as I thought it over. "I try not to harp on the whole 'orphan' thing but it's sort of a factor in how I've handled things since I got here. No one has ever had any expectations for me. Staying alive and staying hidden out there was all I had to do. Survival was all that mattered, and so there were things that I never developed about myself that I have had to develop in order to work with you guys. Things as simple as social skills and interpersonal relationships. I've had to learn how to focus on multiple things at once during a mission. I've had to prioritize my own safety and the safety of the team."

I smirked at bit and glanced at Loki. "I've had to be in hostile environments and remain level-headed and come up with an exit plan."

Loki rolled his eyes at me, but I caught the quick little smirk he had before he sipped his tea. "I've had to be held to the highest of standards and not make an excuse for why I couldn't reach them. I've had to meet goals that pushed me to my absolute limits and beyond them. Yes, I've learned how to defend myself and fight for others and expand my abilities with my ice magic, but I think it all boils down to me being able to see that there are more important things than survival. Things that are worth protecting at all costs. I've always run from myself, but now I understand what I am capable of doing and that it's..."

I bit my lip and glanced sheepishly at Thor, smiling. "...a calling, I guess."

He gave me a radiant smile in return, nodding to me.

"Wow," Stark said. "That's the most I've heard you talk since I met you, kiddo."

"Yes, that sounds about right," Loki said. "Seeing as you never shut up, Stark."

Tony glared at him. "You want to get blasted through that wall behind you, Lydia Deets?"

Me, Sam, and Natasha all choked on laughter. Again, Loki rolled his eyes and muttered something in Old Norse that I doubt was anything very nice.

"Anyway," Tony continued. "Thank you for sharing that with us. Gotta say, you've made a hell of a lot of progress since we first met, and since we saw you save Goldilocks in New York."

I geared myself up for the "but" and told myself not to cry when it got here. "Thanks."

"And," Tony said. "We've decided to offer you the job."

Silence.

I stared at him, open-mouthed. Tony grinned. "Usually this is the part where you say yes or no, kiddo."

"You...want me to...join? Really?"

"Yeah. Job's all yours, assuming you still want it."

"I'm..." I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "Yes. Please."

"Then congratulations! Welcome to the Avengers, Frosty!" Finally, the rest of them grinned and clapped for me, and I could see that they'd been trying to play it cool the whole time. Tony came forward and offered his hand, and I must have been too emotional to think straight because I hugged him fiercely. He laughed and hugged me right back. I got hugs from Sam and Nat, handshakes from Steve, Bruce, Vision, and Wanda. Loki paid me no mind at all and had left once they finished the announcement, but I'd seen the little spark of pride in his eyes before he left. After all, while learning from him had been a literal pain, he'd been pleased that I had toughened up after our first night and had delivered counterattacks that were at least tolerable in his eyes.

Thor picked me up off the floor entirely and spun me around. I giggled like a schoolgirl the whole time and fussed at him to put me down, which he did, only so he could squeeze me into a hug. "I told you that you could do it, milady! Never doubt the son of Odin!"

"I promise I won't," I said, my cheeks burning from all the praise and from the extra bit of affection from him.

"Oh, that reminds me," Tony said, snapping his fingers. "Drinks and dinner on us tonight to celebrate."

I turned in Thor's arms and he settled his chin on the top of my head, still squeezing me to him like a teddy bear, which was probably quite a sight and yet no one raised an eyebrow at us. "You really don't have to, Tony, I'm happy enough as it is just being given this kind of shot."

"You worked hard," he said firmly. "We reward that kind of thing. Besides, I already put the order in and it's getting delivered here in like two hours, so too bad. Dinner's at six o'clock."

Then he grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "And you have to dress up."

I gaped at him. "What?"

"Yep!" he confirmed. "No sweatshirts, no yoga pants, no jeans. I want you looking nice for when we take some pictures for PR."

He glanced at Natasha. "Make sure you help her get dolled up. Oh, and that she doesn't run away."

Nat batted her eyelashes at me. "My room at five-til-six o'clock, doll. No excuses."

I groaned. "Kill me. Just kill me."

* * *

"This is so stupid," I whined as I stared at the dress Natasha had bought me. "I don't need a whole party for me and I don't need this dumb dress!"

"You have ten seconds to put that dress on before I force you into it, girlie."

I groaned as loudly as possible to ensure that she heard me and stomped over to it. I put both freshly shaved legs into it and pulled it on. To be fair, Natasha knew me well. I didn't much like bright colors or busy patterns. She'd gone with the classic little black dress. It was a little snug around the chest and waist, but she swore it would be flattering on me, so I just shut up and did as she told me. Mostly because she would barge in here and throw me in a headlock and then force the dress on. Natasha's grappling skills were not to be trifled with. I'd seen her pin Steve in six seconds flat one time.

I wrenched the bathroom door open and glared at her. "There. The accursed thing is on me. Happy?"

She rolled her eyes and shooed me back inside. "Sit, you grumpy little woman."

I plopped down on the tub and crossed my arms as she approached me with makeup. "I don't know why you're so resistant. You're cute as a button, you know."

"Cute as the buttons from Coraline," I muttered, and she shivered.

"Ugh, no, please, that movie made me have nightmares for a week," she admitted as she applied a bit of eye shadow first. "Look up."

I stared defiantly at the ceiling. "I'm also not a party person, so that's the other reason why this is unnecessary. I get nervous and can't think of what to say."

"That's what the alcohol is for," she said cheerfully. "Everyone but Tony will have some, and they'll do all the talking, so you're off the hook. Besides, there'll be music and Sam will inevitably challenge Steve to foosball and you'll spend the whole time laughing at Steve getting demolished. Oh, and you get to meet Peter Parker tonight, and he's a sweetie. High school kid. Smartest teenager I've met since Shuri. You'll love him."

She popped open the eyeliner and I shut my eyes as she drew it onto me in perfect, practiced movements. She tilted my chin up and rolled on some lipstick, then dotted my cheekbones with blush. "There. That's it. You'll knock him dead."

I eyed her. "Hey. That's not the saying."

She grinned at me and handed me a necklace, earrings, and bracelets, all of which were bright red to match the lipstick. "I know."

I sighed as I put the jewelry on, then slipped into my stilettos, and followed her out of the apartment.

Tony Stark was the epitome of "go big or go home" so of course the party was entirely over the top. He had rearranged the recreation room to account for a huge table with a spread of food that could feed an army. I spotted at least four different kinds of cuisine, too, so I guess he wanted something for everyone. There were pretty little lights hung around the entrance that spelled out my name in welcome and I spotted some gift-wrapped boxes on top of the coffee table in front of the flat-screen TV.

As ordered, all the fellas (though Loki was obviously absent) wore suits--which was particularly odd-looking on Vision, but he still complied--and the ladies wore dresses. I thought my heart would pop out of my abdomen once I got a look at Thor in his navy three-piece suit. He glanced up as he heard our heels clicking across the floor, and his gaze roved over me from my heels up to my lightly styled hair. An appreciative smile crossed his lips, and he nodded to me in acknowledgment just as we crossed the threshold.

I spotted a new face among them: a high-school aged boy with brown hair and eyes, and clearly sparkling grape juice in his hand. He was chatting with Tony and Bruce in an excited, bouncy manner, and I had the sudden urge to just pinch his cheeks from how cute he was. Must be Parker, then. The team spoke quite fondly of him.

I also noticed Tony's best friend Rhodey in tow, and felt flattered that he'd make a trip our way just to meet a part-timer. They took me seriously, it seemed.

The Avengers all had drinks in their hands already as Natasha settled both hands on my shoulders and pushed me forward, as if sensing that I wanted to head for the hills.

"Our lady of the hour has arrived," she announced proudly. "And isn't she lovely?"

They all cheered, and Thor actually wolf-whistled, and I buried my face in both hands as my entire head caught on fire from the sheer embarrassment. "I hate all of you."

They laughed, but it was friendly laughter, so it wasn't quite as bad as I thought. Nat got me a cranberry and vodka, and they raised their drinks. "Here's to our girl. We're all happy to have her."

"Hear, hear!" We clinked glasses together and drank. They ushered me over to the buffet table and I loaded up on pretty much everything and then the party went into full swing. To my relief, Nat hadn't been wrong; it was much easier than I thought to mingle with everyone. Conversations happened naturally and I got to chat with everyone at different times.

However, once Sam initiated a drinking game, I slipped out onto the balcony for a quick breather and to refresh my social battery. Wasn't much of a drinker, but Nat fixed me an apple martini that was out of this world. I leaned against the railing and sipped at it, watching the wind roll through the trees along the edges of the estate.

I'd done it.

I'd found a home.

Holy hell.

I closed my eyes and just let the thought sink in for a while, enjoying the quiet.

Then I heaved a sigh, and raised my voice. "Oh my God, I can physically feel you leering at me, Loki."

The balcony door shut hard and then I heard a scornful noise from his throat. "I do not leer at anyone, least of all you."

I tossed a glare over my shoulder. He stood there holding a fancy looking bottle of ale, and he wore a black suit. Good to know the God of Mischief occasionally adhered to dress codes for social functions. "Uh-huh. Sure."

"I am an immortal, kitten," he said. "I have seen women a thousand times more beautiful than you, with and without clothing. You are nothing special."

"Thanks," I growled as I faced forward. "You sure know how to brighten up a room."

"You are the one who made the accusation," he sneered as he walked over to the railing, keeping a good amount of distance between us.

"Why are you here?" I spat. "Come to gloat and remind me I only passed under your tutelage?"

"Why, yes," he deadpanned. "How ever did you know?"

I snorted. "You're so predictable, God of Mischief."

"I am anything but predictable."

I turned to tell him the opposite, and then found myself staring at a beautiful flower that I had never seen before. It looked like a cross-breeding between a rose and carnation. Its petals were midnight blue around the outside and then changed to lighter shades of blue as it reached the center. The stem was long and dark green, and it smelled sweet.

I stared at it dumbly, and then blinked up at him in total disbelief. Loki smirked. "Did you see that coming, darling?"

I gulped. "N-No. What is this? The flower you're going to lay on my coffin after you kill me?"

Loki blinked at that. Then he laughed, hard enough that he had to turn away to compose himself after a moment or two. I blushed rather deeply. Apparently, I had been way off base.

"Kitten," he said, stifling giggles. "You never fail to amuse me, whether on purpose or not."

He took a breath and shook his head, offering the flower to me. "No, I am not intending to lay this flower upon your grave, my little mortal. I merely wanted to see that dumbstruck look upon your face. Congratulations are in order. I am attempting to tell you that you have done far better than I had expected that you would."

I eyed the flower. "It's not...poisonous, is it?"

"Only if you eat it," he said. I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but I did finally reach out and accept it.

"Um," I said, shifting from foot to foot in discomfort. "T-Thank you, Loki."

"I may be a serpent, kitten, but I do not always bite," he murmured, his slender fingers picking up a lock of my hair and tugging on it gently. I couldn't quite tell what the gesture meant until I realized Loki was definitely not a hugger, so perhaps this was his way of being nice. "I only ask that you take this role seriously. Thanos is out there, and this seemingly peaceful time will end sooner or later."

His expression hardened. His hand gripped my shoulder and squeezed. "You will not falter. You will not hesitate. You will not break."

I licked my lips and nodded. "I understand."

Loki searched my gaze for a long moment. "Very well."

His fingers lightly settled on my chin and he leaned in enough to kiss my cheek. I almost fell down in total shock. "Enjoy your evening, kitten."

He headed for the door. He opened it, paused, and then gave me an evil little smile. "Now stop being such a coward and bed my brother already."

My jaw dropped. "You motherfu--"

"Ah, there you are, brother," Thor's booming voice said, and then he stepped up beside the door. "Where have you been all evening?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "You are not my keeper. Stark insisted I make an appearance or he would freeze all of my financial accounts. I have done just that, and so I bid you goodnight, you witless oaf."

Thor sighed. "A pleasure as always, Loki."

Loki brushed past him, but sent me a wink over his shoulder before he disappeared. Thor stepped out onto the balcony and shut the door again, smiling at me. "Are you enjoying your evening, milady?"

"Yeah," I said. "It's a little overwhelming, though, so that's why I--"

Thor held up one hand. "Please, don't feel the need to explain. I can see why you would want a moment to yourself. Would you like some company?"

"Um, yes, that's fine."

He walked over to me and gestured towards the flower. "I see Loki finally stopped pretending to hate you."

"Pfft, he's not pretending," I snorted, spinning the stem between my fingers. "I think he genuinely would strangle me to death if it wouldn't get him killed afterward."

"Oh, he is all bark and no bite as the saying goes," Thor said. "I have seen what he is like when he hates someone and he does not hate you. He keeps everyone at an arm's length. It is merely his way."

"Even you?"

"Especially me. Then again, I like being at arm's length. At least then he cannot stab me."

I clapped a hand over my mouth, trying to stifle a laugh, but it escaped anyway. Thor grinned. "It's alright. I make light of it for a reason."

"Still, though," I said. "That is so messed up, Thor."

He shrugged a shoulder. "Comes with the territory of being related to the God of Mischief."

Thor paused and then took off his suit jacket, draping it around me. I blinked up at him, and then smiled. "You know I can't get cold, right?"

"I know. I thought you might feel a bit more comfortable."

"Got that right," I admitted. "Nat just had to pick out a dress with a low neckline and no sleeves."

"To be fair, you look absolutely entrancing in it," he admitted, and I couldn't tell in the dark, but I swore he blushed a little as he said it. "But yes, it must feel a little revealing."

"I was less naked the day I was born."

Thor rumbled with a laugh. I loved that sound. He was so much like his title; an act of nature. Something that could surround you on all sides and keep your attention like nothing else in the world. Nat's words flitted through my head all of the sudden. Maybe now would be a good time to test the waters. Go big or go home, right?

"Um, Thor?" I asked, silently ordering my heart to stop thumping against my ribs.

"Yes, milady?"

I drank the rest of the martini and set it aside. Liquid courage, give me strength. I couldn't look directly at him, not with the moonlight casting him in silver and blue and him wearing that suit looking like breakfast, lunch, and dinner all at once. I instead stared at the flower in my hands. "T-Thank you for teaching me. And being nice to me. It...made everything a little easier on me. I appreciate it."

Thor gently tilted my chin up until I had to look at him, and then he brushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear. "It was my pleasure, believe me. There is no one like you, milady. I am honored to have spent this time in your company."

 _Holy shit,_ I realized. _I want to kiss him. A lot._

_But should I?_

The muted hustle and bustle of the party inside reminded me that we'd have an audience if I did. Not the best place and time for this sort of thing, as much as I wanted it. I tried to sift through my thoughts for something that made sense until it emerged.

"Um, if you don't mind, maybe I could cook something for you as a show of thanks?" I suggested. "Like, tomorrow, after I go grocery shopping. If you're not busy."

He smiled down at me, and his voice was as rich as dark chocolate. "I would love that."

"Okay," I said, blushing. "Um, we should probably get back to the party."

I debated with myself, but then I touched his chest very gently and got up on my tiptoes. He leaned down to me and I kissed his cheek. Then he offered me his arm, and I took it, and together we went back inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am determined to give you all diabeetus. I regret nothing.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Frosty's thank you dinner with Thor. Can she handle the heat?

So what does one cook for a Norse god coming over for dinner?

Spaghetti and meatballs.

Don't give me that look.

One, it's easy as hell to make. Two, it's almost universally liked. Three, it makes a huge portion and it's almost impossible to run out of it in a single night.

Besides, to reduce the Basic Bitchness of the menu item, I made meatballs stuffed with mozzarella cheese. I also included a gigantic salad, French bread, both beer and ale so he could choose which one he wanted, and homemade apple pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Hopefully, all of that would counteract how simple the meal would be rather than something extravagant like filet mignon and risotto. And, to be fair, I had asked Nat what Thor liked to eat, which was basically everything, and so I was set.

I hadn't lived in my apartment long enough to make much of a mess, but regardless, I scoured every inch of it as clean as possible. I bought some decorations as well while I was out shopping so it wouldn't be a barren wasteland. Then I debated if I should dress up. I mean, technically, it wasn't a date. You usually actually said the word "date" when you asked someone out. I was cooking him a thank you dinner. And I wasn't giving him special treatment--I actually had plans to formally thank the Avengers and make them goodies to show my appreciation. I'd just wanted to start with Thor. For obvious reasons.

Therefore I stood in front of my closet, half an hour to showtime, staring at my clothing and chewing on one of my nails about what to do. He'd notice if I wore a dress, even if it was just a sundress. He'd only ever seen me in workout clothing and frumpy sweatshirts and jeans and sneakers until last night. I wracked my brain for the solution of how to look cute without adding any unnecessary pressure in case I found out tonight that Thor only liked me as a friend and nothing else.

So, like a true dork, I Googled it.

And voila! The Internet saved me yet again.

When Nat dragged me into town for clothes, it had been more than just the dress. She'd loaded me up with a bunch of outfits since there was a chance that I'd be going out more and more, not only for PR stuff but out with the others since they liked having actual social lives. So I ultimately settled on a peach-colored drape-style sleeveless blouse and soft gaucho slacks that made me look nice and slightly more feminine without veering into dressy. Cute but casual. Perfect.

I didn't do makeup, though. Thor had seen me bleeding and sweaty already. He wouldn't be fooled by it, and I doubted he cared to begin with. Score one for me.

"You're gonna be fine," I muttered to myself as I finished stirring the meatballs and then very carefully eased them into a serving dish. "Do as Nat says. Be yourself. Just...more obvious. Physically speaking. Even though apparently the entire team knows I have a crush on Thor. Hoo boy. Maybe I should have Loki teach me to be subtle."

I darted about the kitchen back and forth until everything was ready, and right on time, FRIDAY's voice spoke to me. "Miss, Thor is here for you."

"Thanks, FRIDAY," I said as I scurried over to the microwave and checked my reflection. I pointed at myself and said, "You is smart. You is kind. You is important. You've got this, woman."

I padded over to the door, took a deep breath, and hit the open button.

 _Oh no,_ my brain whimpered helplessly. _I don't got this._

Thor stood there in grey sportcoat, white t-shirt, jeans, and dress shoes. I almost lost the feeling in my legs staring at him in that outfit. Good God. Thor was just a walking, talking buffet of a man. A buffet I'd love to devour.

"Good evening, milady," he said cheerfully.

"Hi," I managed to say, swallowing to wet my woefully dry throat. "Um, come in."

I moved aside and he brushed past me. His cologne was light and spicy. Oh, God, this was the worst idea. Get him the hell out of here. I was going to make a fool of myself.

"My, this smells amazing," he said with a grin, checking out the display on the island counter. He turned to me and held out a box. "I was told to bring a hostess gift."

I snorted. "By who?"

"Agent Romanov, of course."

I narrowed my eyes at the box. "She will pay for her insolence."

He laughed and handed it over. "I found it quite an appropriate gesture in exchange for your hospitality."

"You really didn't have to," I said as I unwrapped it. "Aw, a Yankee candle?"

"Yes," he said excitedly. "They are excellent, are they not? Very calming."

I popped open the box and inhaled. This one was sweet dark cherries, one of my favorite scents, in fact. He'd knocked it out of the park. There was nothing like a hot bubble bath with a scented candle going. I didn't care if it was basic as fuck; I loved baths and candles. "This is perfect, Thor, thank you."

"You are most welcome."

I gestured to the counter. "Please, help yourself, everything's ready."

“It all looks spectacular,” he said, grabbing a plate. “I hope you will not judge me too harshly once you see how much I eat.”

I giggled. “I’ve been warned. It’s fine.”

True to his word, Thor demolished three plates of spaghetti and meatballs, a massive amount of salad, half a loaf of French bread, and three bottles of ale. It was like watching Shark Week. I was thoroughly entertained seeing it all disappear into the black hole that was the demigod’s stomach. I’d never seen anything like it.

“That,” he said, sitting back and rubbing his stomach. “Was phenomenal, milady. Thank you.”

“You’re more than welcome,” I said as I gathered the dishes from the small table and began putting them in the dishwasher.

“I admit I am shocked that I managed to eat three plates of spaghetti and not get any red sauce on this white t-shirt,” he mused, handing me items to place inside.

“So am I. What a pity. I was this close to seeing you without a shirt on.” I froze as I realized that actually came out of my mouth. Son of a bitch. Someone sew my lips shut.

Thor chuckled good-naturedly. “I can certainly oblige if it means that much to you, milady.”

Thank God for Thor’s sense of humor. I’d nearly gotten myself into trouble there. “Oh, I’ll survive somehow.”

I shut the dishwasher and then went to the freezer. “Now for dessert.”

“Dessert?” Thor echoed. “You’re spoiling me. I am not worthy.”

“Nonsense,” I said as I peeled the foil off of the apple pie. “This is barely scratching the surface of all I have to thank you for.”

He inhaled the scent of the pie and shook his head. “You must be careful. I may propose to you if this pie tastes as good as it smells.”

 _Thump, thump, thump, thump_ went my poor heart. I laughed it off and cut two pieces out of the pie, then heated them up a little in the microwave, and finally dolloped some vanilla ice cream on top. Thor took two gigantic bites and then closed his eye. “Milady, would you please become the Queen of Asgard?”

Again, I laughed even though my heart was doing the Lambada between being so nervous and being pleased that he loved my cooking. “I’ll think about it.”

Thor devoured two slices of pie as well as two scoops of ice cream, and we stood at the counter chatting instead of going back to the table. Although he had commended himself about the spaghetti sauce, he did manage to get a bit of ice cream on his beard.

Without thinking, I reached up and wiped it away, not noting until I withdrew my hand just how close we stood to each other. Frank Sinatra crooned in the background. Thor stared down at me with something in that lone blue eye that made me tingle all over; there was a soft weight to it like being wrapped in a thick comforter. It was as if he were deeply considering something. I’d have given my right arm to know his thoughts, but I couldn’t keep guessing. Nat was right. I had to try, even if it scared me half to death.

“Thor,” I whispered breathlessly.

“Yes, milady?” he answered.

“I…” I swallowed hard, stumbling over the words. “I hope I’m not…it’s just that…I mean, and you’re so…”

I shut my eyes, attempting to calm down to explain, but my heart wouldn’t stop fluttering and I got a little dizzy with the frustration of not being able to articulate my thoughts.

So it came as a surprise when Thor cupped my cheek in one hand and very gently kissed me.

Merciful God.

I’d never been kissed so sweetly.

His lips lightly grazed mine, no tongue, just the faintest pressure against my mouth. He closed them over mine for a moment and then slid his hand down to rest at the base of my neck, his fingers warm and strong as they seated themselves just above my collarbone. He held the kiss for several long, wondrous moments and then drew away just a bit.

“Forgive me,” he whispered. “I did not mean to act without your permission, but I felt so drawn to you just now that I could not resist.”

“Don’t apologize,” I told him. “Just shut up and kiss me again.”

Thor exhaled in relief, as if I’d hit some sort of switch, and he lowered his arm to wrap it around my back, lifting me slightly up to his mouth. He kissed me again. A third time. A fourth.

The height disparity between us must have annoyed him; a moment later he scooped me up and plopped me on the island counter. My legs automatically fell open to allow him to stand closer, and he took the invitation with gusto. I shivered as he ran his hand up my back and massaged the spot between my shoulder blades before sliding his fingers into my hair. My arms looped around his neck on their own, my fingers roaming up into his golden hair. It was soft and silky to the touch, just enough to grab if I felt the impulse.

He waited until my tongue grazed against his lower lip before the kisses turned French. I tasted the sweetness of the apples and the ice cream on his tongue, which was a little chilly until we both fully sunk into making out. He dragged his fingertips lightly across my scalp and I purred into his mouth before I could stop myself. Thor sighed wistfully and ran his other hand down my side to my hip, pulling me closer until our chests met. Solid heat bled through the blouse and into me. I nearly wanted to melt.

His hand roamed up to the small of my back to tug me closer still. The movement leaned me into his hips, and I gasped before I could stop myself.

Thor immediately pulled back, panting slightly, frowning with worry. “Milady?”

“It’s okay,” I said meekly.

“Am I going too fast?”

“N-No, I just…” I leaned my head against his shoulder, unable to keep from sounding sheepish. “It’s been a while since I felt… _that_ …it just sort of startled me.”

“Oh.” I could hear him smiling. “I am sorry, milady.”

“You absolutely are _not_ ,” I insisted.

“Aye, you’re right. I bear no shame for how you make me feel.”

I blushed and couldn’t muster a response to that. It wasn’t every day a Norse god admitted you inspired an erection.

“Shall we stop?” he asked, settling both hands on my waist and giving me an affectionate squeeze.

"We probably should," I admitted. "But as far as me wanting to, well, that's another issue."

"Is it?"

"I can't be trusted. I haven't been kissed in ages. But I suppose I shouldn't be trying to tempt the King of Asgard into making out with me when we technically haven't had a first date."

He was silent for a moment and then tilted my head up to look at him. "I feel I must explain something to you, and I hope it will not offend you."

I nodded. "My mother, Frigga, raised me to be a gentleman, and I abide by her teachings because I believe that women deserve the utmost respect at all times. Not because they are weak and need to be doted upon, but because they are by far stronger than men and we should show them the respect they deserve a thousand times over."

Thor's brilliant blue eye twinkled with a light that was reminiscent of Loki's mischievous gaze. "But I am not always a gentleman, should a lady request otherwise."

I swallowed. "Oh."

"If there should ever be any doubt in your mind, milady, allow me to put it to rest. I find you deeply attractive and I would love to worship your body in a myriad of ways. Do not be afraid to touch me, for I have wanted to touch you since we met. I find you captivating in every sense of the word, and I wish you to feel pleasure every moment you spend in my company, if that is what you want."

"Well," I croaked. "That's, um, good to know."

He chuckled. "You are cute when you are flustered. However, I think you are right. I must make the proper overtures. I would be honored if you would join me for a date, milady."

I smiled. "I'd love to. But considering it's sort of impossible for you to go anywhere without being recognized, maybe we should make it a more private affair."

"Agreed. You have already made me dinner. I shall return the favor."

I blinked at him. "You cook?"

"Yes. It is quite the fun activity, actually. Does tomorrow night work for you?"

I pretended to glance at my watch. "Hmm, let me just check my oh-so busy schedule..."

Thor leaned down and bit me very gently on the neck. I almost fell right off the counter. "Y-Yeah, I think I'm free."

"Good," he purred in my ear, and then he straightened enough to kiss me properly. It was a long, slow, intimate kiss. I didn't want it to end, and I think he didn't either.

"Thank you for dinner, milady," Thor said. Then he grinned. "And dessert."

I blushed profusely and gave him a shove towards the door. "Good night, God of Thunder."

He chuckled. "Good night, milady."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mine is an evil laugh.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty and Thor's first date goes extremely well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahem. Rating change.
> 
> *slides back into the Odinson trashpile, cackling madly*

 

"So what do you think?"

Words failed me. It happened a lot, mind you, because I was just an awkward person, but it was rare that something stumped me for a good reason instead of a bad one. This was a very, very good kind of speechless.

Tony had scheduled a meeting with me, but instead of going to the conference room, we went to one of the labs, and he had unveiled something I hadn't even thought of yet.

A suit just for me.

It wasn't armored like the Iron Man suit. Instead, it appeared to be made of a sturdy Kevlar material that was similar to Black Widow's suit; supple and easy to move in, but with protection against knives and most caliber bullets, and some lasers. There was an emblem in the center that glowed sky blue, and lines ran down the sides in accent colors. The emblem was of a snowflake. It had a small utility belt as well, and combat boots with those same blue highlights on the bottoms.

I mouthed uselessly for a bit and then coughed out, "Tony, it's...amazing."

"Eh, just a little something I cooked up once we were sure you were our gal," he said, but I could see him fighting a big grin. "Had to get your measurements from Nat, so make sure it fits and then tell me if there's anything that needs to be adjusted. Otherwise, kiddo, it's all yours."

"Thank you, Tony. Really. This is fantastic." I refolded the garment and slipped it into the case he'd presented it from.

"So, uh, how's Thor?" Tony asked with feigned innocence.

I gave him a flat look. "You work with him on almost a daily basis. Ask him yourself."

Tony's lips twisted as he tried harder not to smile. "Well, I just thought I'd ask since you guys seemed pretty cozy at your welcome party. That's all."

I glared at him. "He gave me his jacket. Big deal."

"Can you even get cold when your whole body is infused with ice magic?"

I glared harder. "He was being nice. I felt like my dress was too revealing, so he lent me his jacket. Now butt out, Iron Meddler."

"This is not meddling. This is..." He thought about it. "Honestly? Curiosity. I haven't seen the big guy make goo-goo eyes this hard since Jane. He is absolutely crazy about you."

I blushed. "Get to the point before I freeze your expensive shoes to the floor."

He rolled his eyes. "I just thought maybe you wanted to talk about our fraternization policy, maybe."

I stared at him. "Natasha and Steve are dating. Wanda and Vision are dating. I don't think you have a policy anymore, Tony."

"Point taken. I just meant that there are certain things to take into consideration should you and Point Break be headed in... _that_...direction."

"Which are?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow.

He scowled. "You just want to make me say it out loud, don't you?"

I gave him a vicious smile. "Yep." I popped the P-sound just to be extra annoying.

"No hanky-panky in the public areas. There. Happy?"

"You really felt you needed to tell me that? Like I'm not a responsible adult woman who lives with the people she works with?"

Tony eyed me. "You could be dating _Thor_. I'm straight as an arrow, but I'd probably have sex with him on the rec-room couch if he asked me to."

I wheezed. _"Tony."_

He patted my shoulder. "Just sayin', Frosty. Keep it clean."

"I hate you so much."

* * *

"Good evening, milady."

Three words I'd been nervously waiting to hear all day long.

Thor stood just inside the door to his suite, smiling down at me in a white t-shirt and light jeans and Chucks. Since I'd been the invited guest this time, I had decided to go with a dress, but it was just a cute lavender sundress and matching flats.

"Good evening, Thor," I smiled back. "May I come in?"

"You certainly may," he said, sweeping one arm as he stepped aside. I hefted the gift wrapped box in my arms and walked into his apartment. Thor had been here long enough to decorate, and it was quite a sight. He had an enormous book case stuffed with literature, a flat-screen nearly the size of the huge one in the rec room, a circular leather couch with five seats, a weight bench and workout equipment in the far corner, and intricately carved wooden furniture. There was an enormous white rug beneath the coffee table, but I didn't recognize what kind of animal pelt it had been, as its color was almost iridescent.

There was a family portrait above the wall near the dining table. I'd never seen his parents before. Odin had a strict, weathered appearance, and Frigga was lovely but with that same warm, strong demeanor that I instantly knew was what Thor had inherited. Loki stood out sharply in contrast to the three of them, but he looked quite a bit more at home in the painting than I'd ever seen him here on earth.

"I like your place," I told him as I set the box down on the counter where there was a little bit of space. Thor had an island counter just like my suite, and the food was all laid out. There was a big silver pot, a positively enormous loaf of bread that had filled the air with a wonderful scent of spices, carved chicken and steak on a tray, and bottles of wine. My stomach growled aggressively. It looked nothing short of spectacular.

"Thank you," Thor said as he came to my side. "You did not have to get me anything, you know."

I shrugged. "I wanted to. Open it."

He tore off the wrapping paper and then his face lightened into the cutest expression of surprise. "Is this one of those coffee machines?"

"Yep," I said. "It's called an espresso machine. It makes really strong, really good coffee, so if you want that instead of the normal drip kind, voila! You're all set."

"I love it!" He grinned and squeezed me into a happy hug that made me laugh, and kissed my cheek. "I cannot wait to try it. Thank you again, milady."

"You're welcome."

"Well, please help yourself. Red or white wine?"

"Red, please." I got a bowl and opened the pot to see a unique soup I didn't recognize off-hand: cream-based, but there were all kinds of veggies and spices and meat in it, and it smelled hearty. I got some of that and then came back with a plate for the bread and the sliced meat. As soon as I cut into the bread, the warmth and freshness of its texture clued me in to the truth.

"Oh my God, Thor, you made this bread?!"

"Yes," he said proudly.

I stared at him in awe. "Marry me."

He laughed. "I take it you are a fan of such things?"

"Uh, yeah," I said, grabbing three slices. "Bread is life."

"Aye, it is, isn't it?"

We sat at the table and ate together, chatting about our days. Everything I ate was phenomenal. There was a grill out on the patio and I had a hunch that Thor had used it, so all the meat was tender and juicy. It was so damn good I ate two plates.

I bit my lip. "Um, is it okay if I ask you what Asgard was like?"

He nodded. "Yes, it's quite alright. I miss it, but it is not painful to speak of it. I am grateful that I was able to save my people before its destruction."

Thor sat back in his chair, silent in thought for a bit. "Asgard was an incredible place. Not beautiful in simply a physical way. It was like an island of paradise. We had access to the whole universe and so it became a meeting place for different cultures across the galaxies. We had access to so much knowledge as a result of the Bi-Frost, but more than that, it was what I think they call here on Midgard a 'melting pot' of different people from everywhere you can imagine. I often loved to go through the marketplace and see all the variety the universe had to offer, for example. The palace was extraordinary. I loved the architecture of the great halls and we had so many unique artifacts. You could spend an entire lifetime unlocking the secrets of the universe there."

He paused, smiling at me. "And I think you would have loved my mother's garden. She tended it every day. It was one of the loveliest places on Asgard. When we were children, my mother would take Loki and I out into the garden to eat lunch together."

I tried picturing Loki as a little boy eating fruit and finger sandwiches and just shook my head. "It's really hard to imagine Loki as a child and not just a small terror."

"Oh, he was a terror, alright," Thor agreed. "Make no mistake about that. Frigga was the only one who could ever get him to behave even slightly."

I then pictured Frigga dragging Loki by the ear down the hallway to his room and giggled. "See, now that I believe."

Thor chuckled. "To be fair, I was no angel. I was punished frequently for running off on adventures long before I was actually ready for any of them."

"Also easy to believe," I said with a smirk. "I had a bad habit of staying out past curfew and getting into trouble on my own when I was at the girls home, so I can sympathize."

"Surely not you, milady," Thor said, his eye twinkling. "I am appalled to find out you were not a picture of innocence. Any chance you would like to share some of those nefarious deeds?"

I shrugged. "Oh, the usual teenage shenanigans: going to shady spots in the city and fooling around with older boys."

"You had a penchant for mischief, then?"

I didn't shy away from his teasing, challenging gaze. "Maybe."

"Mm," he rumbled, and his voice pitched just the slightest bit lower in a tone that made my pulse skyrocket. "I shall keep that in mind."

He stood and we cleared the table together. He protested when I started to help him wash the dishes, but he didn't stop me. As we finished up, I started getting a little nervous. I didn't want to leave yet, but I also wasn't sure what to do to ask if I could stay longer that wouldn't sound...inappropriate.

Just as I wracked my brain for an idea, Thor turned to me and said, "Would you care to watch some Netflix with me?"

I dropped the wine glass right back into the sink and splashed water all over myself.

"Oh!" Thor said, alarmed. "Forgive me, milady, I didn't mean to startle you."

"I-It's fine," I said, blushing profusely as I finished rinsing the wine glass and set it on the drying rack. He handed me a towel and I blotted at the spots in my dress, clearing my throat. "Uh, Thor, you wouldn't happen to know what 'Netflix and Chill' means, would you?"

He cocked his head slightly. "No, milady."

"Right." Oh, bless his heart. That had been an accident, then. I could relax a little bit. "Um, yes, that sounds nice."

I followed him to the couch and he turned on the TV. I plopped down in the center cushion and Thor sat beside me, stretching his arm out automatically. After a moment, I worked up the nerve to lay my head on his shoulder, which seemed to please him. "What shall we watch, milady?"

"Hmm," I said, scrolling after he handed me the remote. "Ooh, have you ever seen _The Fifth Element?_ "

"No, I haven't. Is it good?"

"It's one of the best science-fiction action movies on earth," I told him seriously. "Definitely what we should watch tonight."

He grinned. "Then watch it we shall."

We settled in for the night and watched the movie, which Thor loved rather enthusiastically just as I thought he would. It sounded right up his alley, as the hilarious but heartwarming hero of the story dealing with dangerous shenanigans on an epic scale but somehow pulling off saving the universe in the end. From what I could tell of his experience with Ragnarok, it hadn't been that far off.

The only thing was that the final scene of the movie was of Korben Dallas and Leeloo heavily making out, possibly in mid-coitus (no one could tell since the shot was only from the shoulders up) and I flushed a little bit as I thought about how our last dinner had ended. Thor had made it quite clear that I could touch him or kiss him, but it had been a while since I'd been in any sort of romantic situation. I wasn't the best at seduction. Hell, I wasn't even remotely good at it. I had more of a 'stare at my crush across the room until either I die or they somehow fall in love with me' method to it.

I thought back to Natasha's advice: _"If you guys are watching TV, put your legs in his lap and see what he does.”_ Well, I was wearing a dress and I had just shaved my legs, so they felt nice and smooth.

I draped my legs across Thor's thighs and asked, "So did you like it?"

"Yes, quite a lot, actually," he said cheerfully. I almost thought he hadn't noticed, but then his other hand rested on my calf muscle and I nearly had a heart attack. His hand felt heavy and warm, and my body temperature raised into the hundreds in just a second of skin contact.

"You have excellent taste as usual, milady," he said, stroking my calf lightly as he smiled down at me. Eep. Oh, goodness. This was too wonderful already. I'd never survive him.

 _Speaking of tasting,_ my lust-soaked brain mumbled. I had a hard time not glancing down at Thor's lips. He was so close, and he smelled like pine needles and sunshine and I just wanted to rub myself all over the man like some sort of lovesick kitty cat.

As usual, I must not have had a very subtle look on my face; Thor brushed my hair behind my ear and leaned in towards me, stopping just an inch from our noses touching, his voice soft. "May I?"

I abruptly swallowed my voice, so I just nodded. Thor kissed me. Mm. I never wanted to kiss anyone else ever again. Silly, but probably true. His lips were so soft. He kissed me with gentle patience, waiting for me before he would go further. I wrapped my arms around his neck and tugged him down to me, licking his lower lip to let me in. He accepted my touch and wound his other arm around my back, stroking the length of my spine. The hand on my calf trailed up and up and up until he reached my thigh. Again, he paused, waiting for me, and I touched his wrist, sliding his hand up beneath my dress. He sighed into my mouth and squeezed my upper thigh, running his calloused fingers over the sensitive skin enough to make me gasp.

The gasp did something to him. He purred and laid me beneath him on the couch, one hand near my shoulder holding his weight, the other sliding towards my backside. My legs tumbled open on their own and he leaned into me, and the heat and firmness of his body made me finally moan against his lips. Shit. He felt so good. He was solid and unyielding. I wanted him to engulf me entirely.

"Promise to stop me if I go too far, milady," he breathed, panting slightly, his hand only inches away from the promised land.

"I promise," I murmured to him, eager and trembling from the euphoria of his touch and the anticipation of more.

He trailed kisses down the side of my neck just as his hand cupped my ass. I shuddered and rolled my hips up against him encouragingly. He lowered himself to me a little at a time until our pelvises met, and I moaned again helplessly as I felt how hard he'd already gotten. I'd been without these sensations for so long. My heart raced as I ran my hands down his back and slipped them beneath his shirt, feeling his bare skin at long last, so hot and smooth. Thor hissed at my touch and rocked against me, rubbing his cock against my lower belly. The heat leapt to furnace levels.

"Mm," he hummed in my ear as he settled above me, slowly and deliberately grinding against me. "I see that you are perhaps as mischievous as you said you were. You should not tease me like this, milady. Are you a naughty girl?"

Holy _fuck_.

If I wasn't wet before, I sure as hell was now.

I let my nails scrape against the small of his back as I answered. "What if I am? Are you going to punish me?"

"Quite the contrary," Thor drawled, pushing up enough to smirk down at me. "I like naughty girls. Naughty girls are rewarded generously."

He slid his hand around and his long, broad fingers cupped my sex through the satin panties. I hissed and bucked up into him, crying out. I'd needed the friction, the stimulation, so badly. I whimpered his name, staring up at him half-desperate for more. He noted my expression, my flustered state, and moved very carefully to slide the panties aside and slip one finger into me.

"Fuck!" I cried out before I could stop myself. An enormous tug of pure, unfiltered pleasure went through my lower body. It had felt so sharp and alarming, yet it had been exactly what I wanted. My inner walls clutched the digit tightly in their grasp and I broke out into an entirely new set of shudders as the drunken nirvana assaulted my senses. I ached for him now. He had to move or I'd lose my mind.

Thor kissed the seam of my lips, his voice low and aroused but still concerned. "Milady?"

"Yes," I whispered, using my hands to tug him towards me even more. "Yes, more, please."

He kissed me again, sighing as he drew his finger out slowly and then returned it. "You feel so wonderful, milady. I love how tight you are. How wet you are. Such a naughty thing."

I dissolved into the couch as he rhythmically thrust his finger back and forth inside me, eating every moan, his hard chest pressing me down into the cushion, his body so close it made me sweaty in mere seconds. Throughout all of it, he whispered to me how much he liked it, how enticing my body felt to him, how he had wanted this for so long, how he would love to touch me in other ways. I rode cloud nine for as long as I could, clutching him, completely and utterly mesmerized by his touch until I knew I couldn't last any longer.

" _Ah_...Thor...Thor, please, I'm..." I blushed, unable to get the words out.

He kissed my throat and bit over my pulse lightly before sliding his mouth next to my ear. "Would you like to come, milady?"

I shook my head frantically. He chuckled. "Yes, you would. I can feel it. You are close. Just let me release you."

"I-I can't...I shouldn't..." I only got more flustered as he pushed up to look at me, something purely male and masculine in his gaze.

"I want you to come for me, my sweet lady," he whispered. "Let me please you."

He raised up on his knees and pushed the hem of my sundress higher over my hips, and I realized a moment later why he'd done that as he withdrew his finger and rolled my panties off my legs. I blushed madly as he pushed my knees further apart and disappeared between my thighs before I could choke out another word.

Thor's tongue vanished inside me.

"Oh, God, Thor!"

He growled in excitement against my pussy and propped my legs on his broad shoulders, licking me once, twice, his lips sucking in just the right spots. I threw my head back and couldn't stop the scream climbing out of my throat as he fucked me with his mouth, conquering me in mere seconds. There was nothing I could do. It was too much--the rough, pleasant scrape of his beard on my inner thighs and the heat and texture of his tongue against my sex, and the feel of his hands on my ass to hold me in place as he tasted me over and over again. I came with a twist of my hips, gripping handfuls of the couch underneath me as my body catapulted off the edge into the glorious abyss of my orgasm.

I had no idea how long I hung there in the heavens, but at some point, I roused back into consciousness. The whole world felt a little distant, like seeing through a veil. My limbs were pleasantly limp, so it was a moment before I could take stock of them. I swept my mussed hair out of my face to see Thor on his knees, wiping his mouth and beard clean and smiling at me in a perfectly adorable yet smug fashion.

"Are you alright, milady?"

"Sorry I ruined your couch," I croaked.

He laughed and bent down to kiss me. "It is stain proof. It will survive."

I kissed him and looped my arms around his neck again, sighing wistfully. "God, you're amazing. I'm not worthy."

"On the contrary," he said between kisses. "You are most worthy."

He cleared his throat. "But, to that end, would you like to get cleaned up?"

"No."

He blinked at me. "No?"

"No," I clarified. "I just want to get more dirty. I haven't made love in ages. I want to make love to you, Thor. Right now. If you're up for it. What do you say?"

Equal parts delight and arousal flooded his handsome face. "I would be honored to make love to you this night, milady."

"Good." I stood up on shaky legs and dusted myself off, clearing my throat. "And for the record, _this_ is Netflix and Chill."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty and Thor's first night together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EHEHEHEHEHEHEHE I REGRET NOTHING.

If you told me six months ago that I'd fuck the God of Thunder someday, I'd probably have punched you in the face.

Thor gently took my hand and led me towards his bedroom, his stride long and confident, his smile eager and affectionate. I followed him step by step, blushing up a storm, equal parts nervous and excited.

Thor's bedroom was just as nice as the rest of his apartment; spacious, clean, warm. He had a lot of Asgardian decorations and books and tapestries. As I'd suspected, he had a King-sized bed--ha, ha, nice pun--up on a four-poster frame with a canopy. The sheets were tan and the comforter was a rich, deep brown, rumpled from the last time he'd slept in it. The whole room smelled faintly of earth and light rain, just like Thor himself.

He drew me near after he shut the door and kissed me, softly, and then turned me to face the bed. He set my hands on the edge and kissed the spot behind my right ear, murmuring, "Stay like this for me."

I shivered as he brushed my hair over one shoulder and followed the line of my neck with his lips. Then, he lifted one hand and unzipped the back of my dress slowly enough for it to be foreplay. He didn't immediately push it off me; he reached the peak of my shoulder and then made a path down the back of my shoulder blade. I nearly collapsed against the bed from how hot it made me, his gentle touch and patience, his intentional seduction. I managed to stay upright with my hands to the mattress as he kissed his way down the exposed part of my spine, stopping at the dimples over my backside. He rose up and finally pushed the straps of the dress down to let it fall away from my body. It left me in just a bra, and my knees almost knocked together from how overwhelmed I felt at being nearly naked in front of him for the first time.

Thor must have noticed; he ran one hand up my belly, his voice rough but sweet. "Relax, milady."

I nodded shakily. He slid his fingers up around to just behind my ribs, and the bra unfurled a moment later, leaving me naked at last.

Thor inhaled sharply. "My dear, you are beautiful."

I trembled and couldn't help but make a small, needy sound. "Thor, please."

I heard a rustle of cloth, and couldn't resist looking over my shoulder to see him pulling off his t-shirt. He caught my gaze and smiled, and it just made me blush even harder that he wasn't the least bit ashamed. I bit my lip as his hands undid the belt of his jeans and then unzipped his fly.

"Do you like what you see, milady?" he teased, waiting for my reaction before taking off his pants.

"God, yes," I muttered back breathlessly, waiting for the inevitable.

He chuckled. "Good."

Thor let the jeans drop. Oh, my. He wore dark grey boxer-briefs beneath them, and his current state of arousal made my mouth actually water. I'd already seen him in nothing more than swimming trunks, but they hadn't properly previewed what lay beneath them. Thor was the King of Asgard for a goddamn reason. Even still hidden beneath the cotton, his cock more than filled the outline of the shorts. He was hung, to say the least.

He stepped closer and ran his hands over my hips, up my sides, until those big hands closed over my breasts. I moaned as he cupped and squeezed and kneaded them with such tender care I thought I'd pass out. One hand slid high enough to wrap around my throat and the other made a path down my belly to between my thighs, where everything had become a molten mess from all the foreplay. I twitched as he finally allowed that hard, hot, muscular body to mold against me from behind. His cock rubbed along the curve of my ass just as his lips made their mark the spot below my jaw. His rough fingertips scraped pleasantly over my clit, dipping down over my slick sex, his middle finger running along the edge of my walls but never quite going in.

"Are you sure?" he whispered. "Are you sure you want me, my lady?"

Bless him. As if I weren't already as Hot and Ready as a freaking Little Caesar's pizza right now. He still wanted to be sure I was okay with us.

I turned my head enough to catch his lips in a kiss. "Yes, my king."

Thor shuddered and growled, clearly aroused by the title. Apparently, I'd found one of Thor's buttons. Good for me.

He scooped me up and flipped me around, depositing me on the bed in a graceful show of power. He remained standing at the edge and planted his hands on either side of me, leaning down to kiss me. His upper body grazed mine, and I lost what little control I had left. I looped my arms around his neck and held him there against me, the rounded peaks of my breasts tickling his pectorals, my lower body undulating against his groin on its own. I moaned into his mouth as I felt for the edge of his cock and ground into it, so wet by now that I could feel the cloth dampening around the area. Thor hissed and caught my waist in his hands, holding me still, and then rolled his hips into me in the same rhythm, eating the cries that left me as the pleasure intensified at my core.

"Thor," I gasped out. "Please. Now. _Please._ "

"Mm, yes," he purred, kissing down my neck to my breasts, then my stomach, then running his tongue across my sex in a quick, hungry pass. "Yes, milady. Allfathers above, I want you."

He shoved the boxer-briefs off of his luscious golden body and pushed my thighs as far apart as they could go, and then he slipped into me.

I gripped his forearms with both hands and screamed.

Oh, _God_. I'd never felt anything like it. Like him. Solid and hot and thick and firm. My body twisted on the bed as every nerve burned at once and then melted into a puddle. The pleasure engulfed me entirely. I rode the first wave of it as best as I could, trying to hold still, but Thor's cock drove me mad with lust. I just wanted more. More and more and more.

Good thing, too, because I realized a moment later he was _only halfway in._

Thor held me between those huge hands of his, panting heavily, his lone eye fixed intently on my face. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," I whispered hoarsely, high as a kite. "Keep going. Please."

I bit my lip and writhed as he tugged me forward onto him, sinking inch after inch into my welcoming heat, sending whirls of even more pleasure spiraling up my spine and into every inch of me. I groaned so hard it made my throat raw and my nails dug into his skin. I tried to relax my grip as much as possible, but then I heard him chuckle. I'd closed my eyes without realizing it.

"It's alright," he assured me. "Bear down if you need to. I can take it."

Thor cocked his head slightly, his lips tugging into a rather naughty smirk. "And apparently, so can you."

I blushed again. I had been rather loud in my appreciation. I couldn't blame him for being a little smug about it. I was never usually this vocal, but he'd gotten me worked up to say the least. I'd had a few partners before, but never anyone who turned me on this much, physically or personality-wise. Thor definitely stood in his own category for me.

Before I could retort, he drew out of me, one slow inch at a time, and I went right back to wriggling underneath him like a contortionist, gasping at the flurries of sweet, sharp nirvana. He'd be the death of me at this rate. I'd been a fool to think I could withstand the storm of his sex.

Thor exhaled wistfully. "My lady, you are heavenly."

"Ditto," I mumbled drunkenly.

He chuckled again and returned to me, but this time he didn't pause. His thrusts flowed into each other, still careful, but each one slid him deeper and deeper. He filled me, stretched me, molded me to fit him in just a few minutes, and then caught my attention by wrapping my legs around his back. The movement seated him completely inside me, pelvis to pelvis, and I nearly tore a hole in the sheets from how goddamn good it felt once he'd made it all the way in.

Then the King of Asgard planted his hands on either side of me on his bed and proceeded to fuck my brains out.

"Oh, _God_ , Thor!"

Each and every thrust slid him deep, so deep, his cock rubbing and grazing against every tender little spot inside me, flushing my skin with pleasure so sweet it should have been a sin. Every last stroke hit my erogenous zone like he was winning slots on a lottery machine. I dissolved into the bed in seconds and couldn't control myself even slightly from just how amazing he felt to me. I clung to his forearms in vain, rocking up into him as much as possible, living off the low, rumbling groans of pleasure that spilled from his chest as he took me.

"Yes, yes, yes," I mewled helplessly, my head thrown back against the comforter, delirious from the sensations rushing through my veins. "God, Thor, oh, yes, please."

My inner walls flickered dangerously around the solid column of his cock, and I realized what would happen if he kept at it for much longer. I couldn't possibly give in this soon. It had barely been minutes, but every movement drew me closer and closer to my climax.

"Mm, Thor, please, I'm gonna come," I whispered, my voice high and trembling from the strain of not simply giving in to the curling finger of my impeding orgasm. "Please, just...let me... _mm_...catch my breath."

Thor's heavy upper body then did the unthinkable and pressed me down against the bed, gentle but insistent, and his lips grazed my right ear. "You do not need to hold back for my sake, milady. I wish you to come. I hunger for it."

Oh, no, that just wasn't _fair._

I shook my head. "B-But it's too soon, Thor, please--"

He lifted up enough to kiss me. "It is never too soon to enjoy yourself. To enjoy me. Come for me, milady."

He tilted his hips to be more onto the bed and pinned me beneath him, switching from long, steady thrusts into short, quick ones that made the hard, flat surface of his pelvis grind into my clit. I shrieked and wrapped my arms around him, my eyes rolling back as he drilled into my spot again and again like he had no intention of stopping.

"Thor, please, oh please, Thor, gonna come, gonna come, God, I'm gonna _come_ \--"

My control finally snapped and a tidal wave of pure heat dragged me down into its depths. The entire universe opened itself to me and I flew through it at lightspeed to a climax I'd never known could feel so phenomenal. It was made even sweeter as Thor groaned out my name and bit down over the side of my throat, coming along for the ride as well. I quivered beneath him as I felt him come, felt it splash scorching hot inside me, felt him release his control as well as we both surrendered to each other.

Then we sunk down into the afterglow; lazy and indulgent and together at last.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part two of Thor and Frosty's first night together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to everyone who thinks that just because Thor is a sweetheart that he's not as sexy as Loki. This is my rebuttal.

I hadn't realized that I'd drifted off until Thor's warm, barrel chest shifted just slightly underneath my cheek. I peeled my eyelids back. Smooth, rippling muscles greeted my sight. Oh, right. I'd fucked a Norse god. That's where I was right now.

Thor must have felt my breathing change; he rubbed my shoulder and kissed the top of my head. "I am sorry, milady. Did I wake you?"

"Oh, don't mind me," I said as I stuck one hand out and boldly palmed his abs. "I'm just gonna be here staring at you until I die."

Thor laughed heartily. "Ah. Right."

I lifted my head and settled my chin on his chest, lifting my eyebrows. "Dunno if you know this, Thor, but you're excellent at being naked."

"I pale in comparison to your loveliness," he grinned. "Had I a thousand years to admire you, it would not be enough time to truly appreciate your beauty."

I couldn't help but blush. "I thought Loki was supposed to be the Silvertongue in the family."

He waggled his eyebrows. "Where do you think he got it from?"

I laughed then. He kissed my forehead, then my nose, then my cheek. "I love making you laugh, milady. You are so sweet."

I bit my bottom lip for a second, debating with myself, and then climbed into his lap. It was a bold move for me. I had longed to do this, honestly, to just be able to touch him without being afraid that he wouldn't reciprocate. Thor smiled fondly up at me and settled his hands on my waist, letting his fingers settle into light strokes from just under my ribs down to my thighs.

"Thank you," I whispered. "For this. I...I really wanted to...it's been a long time for me."

He kissed me. "It has been a long time for me as well. You need not worry. I find you so enchanting, my lady. I cannot believe you chose me."

I laughed, and even as I did, my throat got tight. "You are so ridiculous, you know that?"

"Aye," he said, his eye twinkling. He slid one hand up enough to tilt my head to one side, and he began kissing my throat in between every few words. "And you are kind...and passionate...and selfless."

"Dunno about that last part," I admitted even as his luscious kisses made goosebumps spill down my naked spine. "You've spoiled me so far."

"You saved my life," he said sincerely. "I feel there is no greater act of selflessness than to risk your life for a perfect stranger. I confess I was smitten from that moment onward."

I covered my face with both hands, too sheepish to look at him. "You were not."

"I was," he chuckled as he sat up and tugged my hands down. "I had what I believe you call a crush as soon as I met you."

"Thor," I whined as my cheeks inflamed. He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed.

"It should not embarrass you to know this about me," he teased. "I may be the God of Thunder, but I am just a man, and you are an exceptional woman in every respect. If you do not believe it, then I will happily remind you every day we spend together."

He kissed me again, and something rather masculine settled across his features then. "And there are other things I would like to know about you in the meantime."

I tried not to swallow hard. _Thump, thump, thump, thump._ "Such as?"

"Oh, you know," Thor said in a feigned casual voice, all the while his right hand began drawing slow circles over the small of my back. "Your favorite color. Your favorite book."

His lips stretched into a nefarious smirk. "Your favorite fantasies."

My entire face went up in flames this time. "I...what makes you think I have f-fantasies?"

"Everyone has them. And I want you to tell me one of yours."

 _Thump, thump, thump, thump!_ Oh my God, he was trying to kill me. I just knew it. "But--"

"Relax," he soothed me. "There will be no judgment. It's just you and me here, milady."

I squirmed a bit. "I'm not really great at vocalizing that sort of thing."

"Will it help if I go first?"

I nibbled my lower lip. Thor, God of Thunder, confessing one of his sexual fantasies to me. Well, there was no way I could resist a tidbit that damned juicy, even if it made me embarrassed beyond all reasoning. "Um, yeah, maybe it'll help."

"Very well." Thor rolled me onto my back, letting me rest comfortably against the fluffy pillows, and brushed my hair out of my eyes so I could see him. He hovered above me, so close, so handsome, so powerful. I couldn't believe my eyes. I just kept expecting to wake up.

"Do you remember the celebration for when you passed the test?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I saw you on the balcony under the moonlight." He let his gaze rove over me from head to toe, and then met my eyes again. "And I wanted you then and there."

The air simply vanished from my lungs. Wow. Oh, wow. It took me a moment to remember how to speak after that little confession. "R-Really?"

"Really," he confirmed. "I wanted to pull up that pretty dress of yours and take you from behind on that balcony."

Thor leaned in and kissed the edge of my lips, his baritone voice tingling down the front of my body. "I wanted to smear that red lipstick with kiss after kiss. I wanted you to moan for me. I wanted you to feel me inside you, bringing you to the brink of pleasure. I wanted to make you fall apart in my arms."

It was a good thing I was already lying down; that would have made my knees give out if I'd have been standing up. I shook myself out of the trance he'd nearly put me in and slid my hands up his arms and wrapped them around his neck, drawing him down onto my body. He was so warm he was almost hot, and the longer he'd talked, the harder his cock had gotten. I tingled in spots from how much his confession had turned me on; my nipples, my lips, my fingers, my toes, my cunt.

"Is that what you like, Thor?" I asked softly as I lifted one leg enough to cradle his side. "Would you like to take me from behind?"

He exhaled in a rush of hot air against my cheeks, my throat. "So very much, milady."

My voice took on a husky quality all on its own. "In bed or standing up?"

"Up," Thor growled as he nudged the tip of his cock against my pelvis. "Up against the wall."

"Deal."

No sooner than I said it, Thor had me on my feet with my hands pressed to the wall across from the bed. His body towered over mine, and the difference in our heights made me shiver all over with anticipation. He walled me in on all sides, so big and brawny, trapping me in one spot. He sucked my earlobe into the heated cavern of his mouth as he ran his hands up my sides to my breasts, caressing them gently, lightly brushing and teasing my nipples. I didn't even try to hold back a moan as pleasure cascaded down my naked body along with the slight chill of the room. He ground the hard column of his cock into my ass, and I pushed back into him, wanting him to know just how badly I needed him. I didn't give a damn about decorum. The shy part of my personality flew the coop. I wanted him and I wanted him _now._

"Mm, my sweet lady," Thor whispered in my ear as he stroked my bare skin all over, as if he could not choose which part of me he liked the best, so he wanted to touch them all. "You are so irresistible."

He nudged my legs further apart and brought my hips back to his pelvis, and then he delved into me.

I moaned so loud I heard one of the paintings on the wall vibrate from the noise.

I'd been embarrassingly wet from our shenanigans so far. Thor's entry felt like perfect poetry. He'd slid that long, thick cock into me so smoothly it might as well have been like my pussy was made just for him. Like a goddamn glove.

Thor's excited groan rolled down my skin from where we were so deeply connected. He squeezed my hips and then trailed his fingertips down the sides of my thighs. I fought to stay standing as the ticklish sensations made me weak in the knees. His hands passed each half of my ass lovingly before he pressed a slow, wet kiss between my shoulder blades.

Then he reared his hips back and fucked me.

The first thrust made me lift up onto my tiptoes and cry out his name. My slippery inner walls flexed all of the sudden around him and sent sizzling shocks of pleasure through me from head to toe. My arms gave out. I collapsed to the wall nearly face-first, leaning my forehead against my folded forearms, moaning as he withdrew and then filled me again. Oh, God. Somehow standing up, everything felt sharper, more acute, more surreal. My reaction made a guttural growl spill out of him and he rotated his hips slightly, drawing a needy moan from me. I couldn't help but lean forward a little so the broad tip of him wouldn't sit so closely against my spot inside me, but Thor knew better. He gripped me a little harder and pulled me down onto his pelvis.

"Don't run from your king, naughty girl," Thor purred in my ear. "Or there will be consequences."

He gave me just a light, playful slap on my ass, and then sunk into a steady rhythm, riding the rise and fall of my body, sliding deep and then retreating, sending pulse after pulse of sweet heavenly pleasure through me. I didn't even have an ounce of control through it all, driven nearly hysterical by just how good it felt. My climax bubbled up like a pot about to boil over, swallowing me in a cloud of inescapable vapor.

"Thor, please," I whimpered. "Please. I'm so close."

He encircled me in his arms and aligned our bodies, kissing my cheek. "Yes, I can feel it, my lady. Can you feel it rising up? Can you feel me inside you?"

He slid his palm down my stomach slowly until his fingers brushed my lower belly, tickling above my clit, his cock nudging my spot where he'd buried himself in me. "Right here. Can you feel me right here, sweetheart? Mm, you're squeezing me so tightly, aren't you? So ready to come."

His fingers finally swept down over my clit and he teased it, circled it, sucking at my neck as he sped up his thrusts. He secured his other arm around my upper body to hold me against his chest as he pounded into me until at last my toes curled on the carpet and I arched back into him, screaming his name as I sailed off into my climax. Thor moaned out my name and worked his hips against my ass, gasping as he let go as well. He spilled himself into me and I damn near climbed toward another orgasm, it felt so good.

I slumped to the wall, shaking like a leaf, as the succulent waves of pleasure drained away, grateful for Thor's beefy arm wrapped around me to keep me upright. After a moment or two, he let out a breathy chuckle and squeezed me. "My God, you're amazing."

I giggled. "That's my line."

He leaned over my shoulder enough to kiss my lips and then lifted me with just one arm, carrying me back to bed. He settled me on it and we both wriggled beneath the covers this time. Thor wrapped me up in his arms and kissed me, an edge of teasing in his voice. "You have distracted me, clever lass, but I have not forgotten you owe me a fantasy."

Dammit. I'd kind of hoped I'd bought myself a longer amount of time. "To be fair, it was a great distraction."

"That it was," he said wistfully. "However, it is late and I can tell you are already tired. Therefore, I will be merciful for the time being."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, Thor."

"You are welcome," he sniffed. He stroked his hand down my spine and I fought not to purr like a content little kitty cat. "But tomorrow morning when you are well-rested, I expect you to fulfill your end of the bargain. Deal?"

I kissed him before settling into his warm embrace. "Deal. Night, Thor."

"Good night, milady."


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty and Thor's morning after.

The next morning, I woke up so comfortable and cheerful that I swore I heard birds singing.

Even though he appeared to be solid muscle, Thor was an excellent cuddler. I'd snuggled up to him completely during the night and found myself in a cocoon of warmth beneath the sheets as I lay on my side, pressed against the warm, bare skin of his chest. He held me as he slept, not too tight, not too loose, one arm cushioned beneath his head, the other curled around me. He smelled earthy and musky, and my eyes hungrily traced the lines of his shoulders and the curve of his square jaw and memorized everything it possibly could about him. Wow. Just wow.

However, what actually had woken me had been my vibrating cell phone. I'd gotten a text message.

Reluctantly, I rolled over and reached for the bedside table. I checked it and suppressed a groan. I'd forgotten about my morning training with Natasha. It had been half an hour ago. I'd slept right through it, and surely by now, she'd been to my suite and found out I wasn't in it. I'd have a lot of 'splaining to do today.

Behind me, the bed stirred, and Thor's arm looped around me and tugged me into his embrace. My eyes almost rolled back as he kissed the nape of my neck and sighed happily. "Good morning, milady."

"Good morning, milord," I said airily, and he chuckled. He buried his face in my neck, which tickled, and I tried not to laugh.

"Are you always this pretty in the morning?" he asked, kissing my shoulder.

"Please," I scoffed. "You're the one looking like an advertisement for Playgirl."

"Playgirl," he repeated, and I cursed myself as I realized he likely had no clue what I was talking about. "And what is that?"

I blushed. "Uh."

He tickled my side. "Out with it."

"It's a magazine for women," I said as innocently as possible.

"Oh?" Thor said, nudging me onto my back so he could look down at me. "What kind of magazine for women?"

"The, uh, the naughty kind."

He arched an eyebrow. "It is pornographic in nature?"

I blushed madly. "Y-Yes."

He grinned. "Why thank you, milady."

Thor kissed me. I looped my arms around his neck and sunk into it, forgetting all about my phone immediately as those soft lips teased mine apart. We had a nice, slow, delicious snog for a bit and then I sighed. "Need a shower. I accidentally skipped my morning training with Nat and she'll be on the warpath looking for me."

"As do I," he admitted. "Care to share it with me?"

I tapped my chin. "Hmm, do I want to be in the same room with a dripping wet, naked Norse god? Gosh, I just don't know, Thor."

He pulled the covers off and slid his tree-trunk legs over the side of the bed. "Yes, I am sure it is a most difficult decision."

The God of Thunder stood up, naked as a jaybird, and made his way to the bathroom, whistling.

And, for the record, the God of Thunder has a _great_ ass.

I almost tripped over myself following him into the bathroom.

With anyone else, it might have been sort of awkward and unnerving, but Thor made me feel relaxed in just a few minutes. He hummed a tune I'd never heard before as we both got wet under the showerhead and shared the soap. On the second lather and rinse, he kissed my cheek and then lathered up his hands, running them over my shoulders. Oh, my. I'd seen Thor twist the wings of a plane with those bare hands of his and yet he massaged my shoulders with so much care that my eyes rolled back.

"You know," he said casually. "It is morning, milady."

"Mm-hmm."

"And you do owe me a fantasy."

I abruptly dropped the soap. It splashed water up onto my legs. Thor rumbled with a laugh and scooped it up. "Do not be so nervous. I would like you to open up to me, that is all."

I fidgeted and gnawed on my lip. "No judgment, right?"

He kissed my other cheek. "No judgment."

I sighed and covered my face with both hands as a blush resurfaced. "I...maybe...had a little fantasy about when we were training together."

"Oh?" Thor said. "Go on."

"W-Well, it's just that seeing you fight every day was honestly breathtaking. You're extremely agile for someone your size and it's really impressive to watch you practice weaponry. And it got me thinking about other fighting styles that you might know and I was thinking about the grappling techniques that Natasha taught me and...it sort of lended itself to this fantasy that you were teaching me how to grapple with someone larger and stronger than me and it required us to be very close together and one thing led to another and..."

I cleared my throat to get the point across. Thor's hands had wandered down to my upper back as I'd been haltingly explaining the fantasy. He smoothed his thumbs between my shoulder blades and I almost melted into the tiles below my feet. God, he was really good at this.

"I see." He swept his hands to the small of my back. I couldn't help it; I moaned sharply as those rough fingers worked out the tight muscles above my ass. He laid his lips against my ear, a subtle growl in his voice. "Tell me more."

"I, um, I had gotten the upper hand and pinned you," I stammered as my heart rate climbed towards the hundreds. "Of course you were just humoring me, but you liked my technique. We started talking about different kinds of moves, and you put me in a full body pin."

Thor exhaled softly. "And then?"

"And then you kissed me."

He pulled me back against him, and I bit my lip to keep from groaning as I felt his hard cock between both halves of my ass. "Did I fuck you there on the floor?"

"Y-Yes."

"Mm, you have very good taste, milady," he whispered as he slid his hands up towards my ribs. "That is an excellent fantasy. Tell me what you were wearing."

My knees almost gave out as his big hands claimed my breasts, caressing them in patient circles, teasing the nipples into hardened buds. "Um, I-I think it was just a tank top and yoga pants."

"Did we fuck with our clothes on?"

"Um, yeah."

He sucked on my ear lobe, his teeth grazing it gently. "I must confess something to you, milady."

"W-What?"

Thor's right hand traveled down the center of my stomach one inch at a time. "It was the most difficult thing to teach you to fight when you wore those tight little pants of yours."

I collapsed back against him completely as his fingers found me wet from more than just the water from the shower. "They just emphasized these beautiful curves in just the right way. I could barely concentrate. I wanted to slide my hands underneath them and feel you naked beneath. I wanted to turn you around and pull them down and take you from behind. I wanted to hear my name on your lips when you took your pleasure at long last."

"Thor," I gasped out as he teased me. "Please."

He let out a low chuckle in my ear. "As you wish, my lady."

To my surprise, he didn't move me up against the wall like I'd thought; he turned me around and picked me up entirely. I yelped and locked my legs around his waist, blinking down at him in surprise. He leaned my upper back to the tile wall and the hot water splashed against his broad back, sprinkling my neck and shoulders. He kissed me as he slid his hands down my spine and adjusted me over him. With a single, skillful thrust, his cock filled me again. And it was just as exquisite as the first time, if not more thanks to the added gravity that made me sink down onto him until he snugly fit inside me.

Thor lapped up my moans with his skillful tongue and then lifted and dropped me in a steady cadence. I sunk into his embrace more than willingly as the searing heat of him parted my inner walls over and over. I lived off the throaty groans of delight that escaped him as he guided us both towards the climax. The exquisite pace, the rush of water over my skin, the rough affection in his kisses, all of it ensured I wouldn't last much longer than several minutes. I tightened my arms around his neck, frantically pumping my hips down against the wall of hot skin and muscle, and Thor released another one of those toe-curling moans of my name. He caught me finally, squeezing my ass, and then pushed me down hard against him. Sweet lightning shot up from between my legs and then it all crumbled around us. I shuddered all over as my orgasm dragged me under and Thor with it, unraveling us both. I wound up almost draped entirely over him as I meandered through my climax, my hair plastered to my forehead, my forehead bumping his.

His chest shook and tickled my breasts as he laughed and told me, "I think we need another shower, milady."

* * *

The morning after I spent the night in Thor’s apartment and emerged freshly showered and presentable went about as expected.

I had wanted to stay in my room the whole day to spare myself even the tiniest bit of dignity, but I didn’t have a choice; I’d forgotten to go grocery shopping, so I needed to pilfer food from the communal kitchen.

Unsurprisingly, Natasha was sitting at the breakfast counter on her phone, and glanced up as I opened the refrigerator. “Hey, you delinquent. You missed our training session.”

“Sorry,” I said sincerely. “I overslept.”

Slyness entered her voice. “You overslept…or you slept over?”

I shut my eyes. And so it begins. I cleared my throat and continued gathering ingredients for an _omelette du fromage_ , as my generation would say. “I’m not sure what you mean, Nat.”

“Well, I knocked on your door about fifteen minutes after you didn’t show and you didn’t answer.”

Which may or may not have been true. I could ask FRIDAY, but it didn’t really matter. “I sleep hard.”

“I bet you do,” she said, still with that teasing lilt. I set the food on the counter beside the stove and then turned, crossing my arms and scowling at her. She wore her best coy smile as she stared at me from over her protein shake.

“Are we really gonna do this, Nat?” I asked.

“Do what?” she replied, batting her eyelashes.

I worked my jaw. “You want me to say it, don’t you?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

I sighed. “Nat.”

She chuckled lightly. “Oh, come on, I’m allowed to be a little bit nosy considering the trouble I went through to set this up.”

“You didn’t set anything up; you were meddling,” I said with a roll of my eyes.

“Potato, potahto,” she said, swiping a hand to dismiss the comment. “I’m not going to ask any details, I promise. I just want to know if it was everything you had hoped for.”

I eyed her. “Which part?”

“Any part.”

I continued eyeing her, but I could see the sincerity in her expression. Sure, she was teasing me, but she did actually mean it. She wasn’t just pulling my leg. I turned back to the stove and began prepping the food. “It was even better than I’d hoped. A thousand times better, in fact.”

“Good,” she said cheerfully. “And I’ll leave it at that. I promise.”

“Thank you.”

“Just…know that I’m probably the only one who will.”

I froze. “Uh, what’s that supposed to mean?”

As if on cue, I heard the usual overenthusiastic hollering of my name from the entrance to the communal area from the second-to-last person I wanted to hear it from. “Morning, kiddo!”

I self-consciously tugged the top of my sweater higher over my neck. “Morning, Tony. What the hell are you doing here so early? I thought you weren’t here until noon for the conference meeting.”

“I had to drop some new tech off to the lab for Bruce, so I just came early,” he said as he strolled over. “Whatcha makin’?”

_“Omelette du fromage.”_

“That’s not grammatically correct in French, you know.”

“I know,” I told him as I cracked the eggs and whipped them up with a fork. “Blame _Dexter’s Laboratory_ for teaching it to me and everyone in my age range.”

He snorted. “Geek.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Oh, like you’re one to talk.”

“Point taken.” He glanced at Nat. “Hey, Romanov, seen the big fella?”

“Not yet, no,” she replied, and then sweet as honey, asked me, “Frosty, have you seen Thor?”

If I could set her on fire with my mind, I would do it right now. I gritted my teeth and willed myself not to blush. If I did, Tony would catch on, if he hadn’t already. “I think he went to a counsel meeting with Valkyrie and Loki.”

“Ah. Guess I’ll have to catch him later.” Tony said. He then peered at my sweater. “So what’s with the get up? I thought you’re an ice gal and you can’t get cold.”

“It’s called fashion sense,” I told him with a roll of my eyes.

“One, I’m about 110% sure you got that from Walmart,” he said. “Two, I’m the most fashionable person on the team, even over that diva Loki, and three, with the exception of that fancy dinner I threw you, I have never seen you in anything besides tank tops and yoga pants. Got big plans later? What’s up?”

Crapbaskets. He was suspicious. I should have just stayed in my room and starved to death. The only way out of this was denial and distractions. “You’re mental, you know that?”

“Uh-huh,” he admitted. “Pepper confirmed it. You’ve got a lunch date later, don’t you? Who’s the victim? Come on, spit it out.”

I felt the blush rolling up my carefully hidden neck. “None of your business, Tony.”

“Oh, throw me a bone here, kiddo. I haven’t seen you get buddy-buddy with anyone here but Thor, for God’s sake. Pun intended. Romanov, what’s up? She seein’ somebody?”

“My lips are sealed, Tony.”

“Tch. S’what I get for asking the spy. Fine. Keep your secrets, ladies. I’ll find out sooner or later.”

He gave me the “I’m watching you” gesture with his hand and then strutted off. As soon as he was gone, I threw an eggshell at Natasha’s head. She ducked it smoothly and giggled into her protein shake.

“Thanks a lot, Nat!” I hissed, glaring daggers.

“What’s life without a little excitement?”

“You know what? No _omelette du fromage_ for you!”

After breakfast, I holed up in my room for as long as humanly possible. I even ordered lunch and did my best stealth sneaking to get it from the front gate. Naturally, as I returned, I found someone loitering outside my room, and it was in fact the last person I wanted to see.

“Loki,” I said mildly, squinting at him with the utmost suspicion. He leaned against the wall opposite my door, arms crossed; a picture of nonchalance, like a big, casual man-eating wolf.

“Kitten,” he said, and then swept his gaze over me briefly. I still couldn’t read him well. Hell, probably no one but Thor could, and even then, Thor was sometimes wrong about his brother.

“Can I help you?”

“Perhaps you can,” he said as he pushed off from the wall. “You know, the strangest thing happened last night.”

Loki circled me, hands behind his back, and while he wasn’t quite leering at me, he was in the same ballpark as he had been the night of my celebration. “It was a clear night. Occasionally, I steal out onto the roof of the compound and read beneath the stars. I find it rather tranquil. However, the weather behaved quite strangely. A massive storm system rolled in just after supper. Curiously, no rain fell. It was only thunder and lightning.”

He came to stop just in front of me. “Almost as if it had nothing to do with nature itself.”

I frowned at him. “And you’re telling me this because…?”

A vulpine smile founds his lips. “It is quite the strange timing, is it not, that this raging maelstrom formed not long after you had dinner with my brother.”

I stared at him, and then abruptly turned beet red. Oh no. Thor’s bedroom had no windows. I hadn’t heard anything except what we had been up to in there.

Apparently, I was such a good fuck that Thor had accidentally _summoned an actual storm._

I shut my eyes and cringed. “Y-Yeah, that’s strange, alright.”

Loki let out a low chuckle. “I believe congratulations are in order.”

I glared at him. “I’m gonna congratulate your nuts with my foot in a second, Loki.”

“That does not make any sense, kitten.”

I reared back as if to kick him and he laughed, stepping away from me. Well, at least he actually believed the threat. “Such a bashful little darling, aren’t you?”

“God, you’re a piece of work,” I grumbled, and turned to my door. “Fuck off, Loki.”

“I would, but you beat me to it.”

I turned and lobbed the apple that came with my lunch right at his smug face. He caught it effortlessly and then bit down into it, his gemstone eyes swirling with mischief. He licked a droplet of the apple’s juice from the corner of his lips, nice and slow for my benefit, and then winked. “Enjoy your lunch, kitten.”

He strolled off down the hallway, continuing to eat my apple. I seethed and then returned to my apartment, cursing him with every insult I could think of.

That night, however, things got a little better.

Thor ordered a couple pizzas—yes, a couple, because he ate like a Viking and could eat an entire pizza in a single sitting—and came over to my place.

“Good evening, my sweet lady,” he said cheerfully.

I stuck out my bottom lip and thunked my forehead right in the center of his chest. My voice came out a muffled whine against his shirt. “Oh my God, Thor, this is the worst.”

He wrapped me in the warmest hug. “What troubles you, my beautiful lass?”

I groaned and sunk into his embrace. “Unsurprisingly, our teammates are entirely too smart and observant. Nat and Loki both know about us and saw fit to tease me about it.”

“Ah,” he said wisely. “Yes, I received some friendly hazing from both Valkyrie and Captain Rogers as well today.”

I tilted my head up to look at him finally. “Are we just that obvious?”

He chuckled lightly and kissed me. “Apparently, we are.”

“I don’t mind that much,” I said wistfully once he pulled away. “But just know that when Tony finds out, he’s going to be an absolute pain-in-the-ass. And he’ll probably try to threaten you somehow.”

“I would expect nothing less,” he agreed. “After all, you are an extraordinary woman and he would be quite upset if I hurt you.”

“It’s like he’s never met you before. You’re all fluff, God of Thunder. You’d never even think of hurting me.”

“I’d sooner lose my remaining eye,” he said. “Aside from being pestered by our overexcited team members, I trust you had a good day?”

“Same as always. Thanks for bringing dinner.” I got up on my tiptoes and kissed him once more for good measure and then we ate. Afterward, we cuddled up on the couch and caught some more classic Disney flicks, which Thor enjoyed immensely. Towards the end of Hercules, both our phones beeped with an alert from FRIDAY that I had a mission in the Czech Republic tomorrow. That meant a long, early flight that cut our little date night short.

I flopped back on the couch cushion with a groan. “Is it always like this?”

“It is,” he confirmed. “For those who heed the call, life is never easy or convenient.”

“You’re probably right. I have to go to bed if I’m gonna wake up in time for the flight. I’d ask you to spend the night, but I can’t be trusted.”

“Trusted, milady?”

“There is an excellent chance I’ll jump you if you sleep in my bed with me.”

He tried and failed not to look smug. “Ah. Fair enough, milady.”

I debated for a moment and then climbed into his lap, raising my eyebrows in a hopeful look. “One for the road?”

Thor grinned and encircled me in his arms. “As if you have to ask.”

He met me halfway in a kiss that evaporated my brain entirely. Mm, what a man, what a god. It wasn’t long before the kiss goodnight turned into full on making out, and I didn’t have the will power to stop until my hands were underneath his t-shirt and I knew I’d fuck him tonight if I didn’t cut it out.

“See?” I told him, breathless, hair mussed, lips swollen. “Can’t be trusted.”

“Neither can I,” he said, shifting slightly just so I could feel more of what I’d done to him beneath his jeans. “Good night, sweet lady of mine.”

Delightful shivers slipped down my spine at his word choice. I really did find myself questioning if Loki was the Silvertongue in the Odinson family. “Good night, my king.”

He pressed one last slow kiss to my lips and then left for the night.

* * *

The next night, I walked inside my apartment with a tired, relieved sigh and tossed my duffel bag on the couch. I wanted the hottest shower possible and then to just flop into bed without another thought. Well, except maybe about if I was too tired to bone the God of Thunder again. That would certainly lift my spirits.

"How was your mission, kitten?"

A dagger of pure ice formed in my open hand and I flung it without thinking in the direction of the voice.

Loki's hand flew up and caught it in mid-air. He gave me that viper smile and chuckled softly. "Ooh. A little jumpy are we, kitten?"

" _Fuck_ , Loki!" I exhaled, my heart pounding. "What the hell is the matter with you?"

"You just threw a knife at my head," he said, cracking it in half and idly tossing it into the sink. "What is the matter with _you?_ "

"You're in my apartment without my fucking permission," I snapped as I yanked off my jacket. "That's what's wrong with me, you goblin. How did you even get in here?"

He pushed off from the counter and stalked towards me. "Child's play for the God of Mischief. Stark is only a genius relative to humanity, not to a god."

"Look, I had a rough day. I am really not in the mood for your bullshit. So why don't you take your serpent ass out of my apartment before I forcibly throw you out of it?"

He chuckled softly. "Oh, that sharp tongue of yours. How entertaining it is. I am afraid I cannot leave until we have spoken about an urgent matter."

"It can wait," I growled. "Until I've showered and had a drink, preferably in that order."

He lifted his brows. "Is that an invitation, pet?"

I rolled my eyes. "Loki--"

"I would not have intruded had the matter not been of great importance," he said, talking over me before I could insult him again. "You know that as well as I do."

I worked my jaw, staring up at him, and then grumbled, "Five minutes, Loki. No more, no less."

"Fair enough." His expression sobered and those sea-green eyes locked onto me with sudden and fierce intensity. "When we met, you remember I asked you how you came into your ice magic."

"Yeah. Why?"

"I told you I had an interest in the fact that you survived the integration of that energy into your body. You are human. Typically, humans cannot stand that magnitude of magic and power, and yet you did. You are an anomaly. No one else has an interest in this, but I do. I think there is something to this magic inside you."

His gaze roved over my throat and down towards my collarbones. He stepped in close and lifted one hand to my throat, his fingers pale and cool, his thumb over my pulse. I stood my ground, unsure of what the hell he was getting at. He studied me from inches away, his voice deep and soft. "The energy that flows through these veins of yours is not entirely as unique as you think. There is another power source with a similar signature. I believe that when you touched that reactor, it integrated with your life force."

He lowered his hand enough to undo the first two buttons of my shirt. I jerked away, but he held me in place. "Relax, kitten. I have no intention of harming you."

"I know you won't, because I'll kick your ass," I said. "You just unbuttoned my shirt, Loki."

The demigod rolled his eyes. "Must everything offend your delicate sensibilities, mortal woman?"

"Sure, let me just tear your shirt open and see if you get the wrong idea."

He smirked. "Do give it a try."

"Get to the point. And if you grope me, I'll stab you in the kidney."

Loki chuckled in his throat. "While the view is rather lovely, my point is that I sought you out for a reason. I needed to touch you in order to see if my theory about the energy was correct."

He pressed his fingertips to my sternum. "The source of your ice magic is here. A living beacon within you."

"Great. Why should I care?"

"When you became an Avenger, you were given a complete file of their most important encounters. One of them would have been what happened when Thor and I first battled over the throne in Asgard, when he was cast out by Odin, and I learned of my unfortunate origins. There was a powerful artifact called the Casket. It had the power to summon ice magic of a magnitude seldom seen in the rest of the universe."

"Yeah, what about it? It was destroyed when Asgard turned to ashes."

Loki smiled slowly. "And that is what I told my brother."

I peered up at him. "You have it?"

"I do."

"And...what does that have to do with me?"

I inhaled sharply as Loki's fingers slid up to my neck and then into my hair, tilting my head back. "You have an enormous power inside you, kitten. And you have come very far from where you began. I have intelligence that suggests that Thanos will be here before year's end, and I think you and I may be able to prevent it."

I licked my lips. "How?"

"By reintegrating the power that gave you your magic. I believe if you wield the Casket, you will be powerful enough to cripple his army before he arrives."

I stared up at him, really seeing him this time. "What's the catch?"

"There is a chance it might kill you."

"Oh," I said, nodding slightly. "Yeah, that sounds more like you."

"I do not take this lightly, kitten," he said, and his other hand tightened on my hip. "Nor should you. Thanos means to wipe out half of all life. Can you really stand here and tell me that you would not do anything to prevent such a fate?"

"Why should I believe you, Loki? You're the God of Lies. You've attacked me countless times. How do I know this is anything more than an elaborate assassination attempt?"

He flicked a thin smile at me. "I gave you a flower, did I not?"

"Flowers go on graves, Loki."

His hand wound around to the small of my back and I found myself pressed against his lean chest. "Shall I prove my fondness for you another way, kitten?"

"First off, you couldn't handle me if you tried."

Loki snorted. "Debatable."

"Second off," I said, ignoring the comment. "If somehow this was a viable plan, why keep it a secret? Why not strategize with the rest of the team? Why the cloak and dagger routine and the sweet talk?"

"You know as well as I do they would not allow it. Especially now that you've bedded Thor."

I tried and failed not to blush, and he grinned. "Oh, my, she blushes! How quaint."

"Look, forgive my naiveté, but lying to my teammates and my boyfriend to run off with the guy who tried to conquer Earth sounds like a bad idea. Oh, and there's that tiny matter about this possibly killing me kind of putting a damper on things. Sorry, but no dice. I want to stop him just as much as you do, but I can't do that if I'm dead."

I tried to move away from him, but he tightened his grasp. "Do you want to see what he does to every planet he encounters, pet?"

I froze and darted a look up at him, and I found an aching sorrow in his eyes that made my breath catch. "Do you want to hear the screams of terror and loss when he is done reaping these people like wheat in a field?"

He leaned down towards my ear. "Would you like me to show you the mass graves? The planets with their atmospheres permanently changed because of the scorched earth and the ruins he has left behind. I have seen them, kitten. These memories will never leave me for as long as I live. Is that what you want for this little planet of yours? Every night I close my eyes, I see them. I hear them. I feel them. Thousands lost."

I shuddered at the quiet horror in his voice. No one had ever really found out what happened when Loki fell into the abyss when the portal to Jotunheim closed, but the team had suspected he found himself in Thanos' realm. He had likely been tortured and beaten until he'd been able to parlay with Thanos and gave him the valuable information that saved his life. Up until now, I never knew just how deep a scar it had left on him. Loki acted like a fearless, swaggering peacock most of the time. You would never know his suffering. My gut told me he meant every word, for once. Maybe it was time to take a leap of faith and hope I wasn’t about to plummet to my death.

I took a deep breath and turned my face towards his, and very gently touched our foreheads together. He stiffened, frowning down at me, his posture switching to defensive as if he expected me to attack him. That made me wince a bit.

"I believe you," I told him, staring straight into his eyes. "I believe you, Loki. I swear I do. I'd sooner die than let anyone take my friends away from me."

I hesitated, but then lifted my hand enough to touch the side of his face. He didn't pull away. He didn't try to hurt me. Several emotions flickered across his face then, everything from disbelief to worry to relief. He probably hadn't been touched gently in a long time. Decades, maybe. "If I agree to try this with you, then I want you to be sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that this could work. If you can prove to me that we would have a solid advantage coming at Thanos with this kind of power, then I will hear you out. Until then, though..."

I sighed. "Trust the team. You don't have to like us, any of us, but we're strong. There might be another way. Can you do that?"

Loki searched my gaze. "Them, no."

He exhaled, lowering his voice. "You, perhaps."

I smiled a little. "Don't go soft on me, God of Mischief."

He snorted. "There is nothing soft about me."

I arched an eyebrow and leaned forward slightly. He grunted as my thigh brushed his groin. "Yeah, no kidding."

He cleared his throat. "To be fair, your shirt has been open this entire time."

"I knew you had an ulterior motive."

He gave me a sharp grin, rubbing his thumb along a very soft, sensitive spot on my spine. "And yet you let me do it anyway."

I rolled my eyes again and finally broke from his grasp, heading for my bedroom. "I have a shower to take. Skidaddle, serpent."

"Very well, kitten. Are you certain that was not an invitation?"

I kept walking, this time with my middle finger raised, and he laughed as he exited the apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: *chucks books, pillows, the cat, household items at Loki's head* WHAT. THE. FUCK. LOKI.
> 
> Loki: *dodging them* I don't know what you're so upset about. You asked for plot. I gave you plot.
> 
> Me: YOU FUCKING DIVA LOOK AT THE TAGS THIS IS A FUCKING THORSTY FIC YOU SON OF A BITCH WHY DID YOU JUST MAKE THIS SHIT ABOUT YOU?
> 
> Loki: *cackles, runs away* You'll find out soon enough, pet.
> 
> Point being: hang in there, people. Trust me, this left turn was not planned. Loki just threw a monkey wrench into everything, but trust me, the ship tag stays where it is. He's not gonna win this round, even if he thinks he is. But be patient. We do have troubled waters ahead for Frosty, Thor, Loki, and the Avengers. Bring a raincoat.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty contemplates Loki's plan.

“Thor?”

“Yes, milady?”

“Tell me about Thanos.”

The God of Thunder’s rippling muscles stiffened underneath my head. I didn’t look up. I was a little worried about what expression he would have. I hadn’t been able to get Loki’s suggestion off my mind within the last couple hours, not even after cuddling with Thor.

“Why do you wish to know details of that monster?” he asked, an undercurrent of anger in his voice, but I knew it wasn’t directed at me.

“Tony told me it was part of his motivation for recruiting me,” I said. “And I’ve read the file, but I figured you would know more about him. I want to be as ready as I can for when he arrives.”

Thor shifted and slipped his fingers into my hair, brushing it away from my face. “He worries you?”

I glanced up at him then. “Yeah.”

Thor nodded slowly. “As he should.”

I scooted to rest on my belly next to him and curled up with the pillow under my chin, watching him as he gathered his thoughts. “It began long ago. No one knows quite how long, just rumors. The planet Titan was on the brink of extinction. Thanos put forth the theory that in order to preserve life on their world, half of the population should die. It would be a random selection. What he considered to be ‘fair’ and ‘merciful.”

Thor paused to snort derisively. “Of course the bastard would think of it that way. Naturally, they refused the offer and eventually, Titan fell to ruin. Thanos decided he was responsible for being unable to convince his people of the right thing to do, and so he began his crusade. I am not sure just how far a reach he has, but we know some of our encounters with the stones are a result of his manipulation in trying to find and seize them. Thanos has a vast army of conquered peoples. He travels to each planet carrying out his mission and in the meantime, sends his Children to find the stones so that he would be able to complete it in one fell swoop.”

I chewed my lip. “And how far has he gotten?”

“As of right now, he does not have any of the stones. Over the past year, we have been gathering as much intelligence as we can on the stones’ whereabouts so that when he is ready to make his move to go for them directly, we can prepare.”

“So where are they?”

“The time stone is in New York with an extremely annoying wizard.” He paused again to roll his eye and I giggled. “The Tesseract is here with us. The mind stone is with Vision. The Aether is with the Collector on Knowhere. The power stone is on Xandar. The final stone is the soul stone, and no one knows where it is, so we may have an advantage as long as he never learns its location. However, even with the other five, he could decimate entire planets at once to achieve his goal.”

I shook my head. “That’s insane. How can one man think he holds the answer to a universal problem with genocide?”

“And that is why they call him the Mad Titan,” Thor said gravely. “For nothing but madness could make a man think that killing trillions of people is the answer to save all life.”

“Especially since you could take the damn stones and just create twice as many resources as there are living beings,” I said with a deep scowl. “It sounds like he’s just a bloodthirsty warlord with a God complex.”

Thor let out a dark chuckle. “You are precisely right, my dear. It is not about saving lives. It is about power and control. He wants them both, and he will slaughter as many innocents as he can to get both.”

“So why not be proactive? Why not bring the fight to him?”

“We do not know where he is,” Thor said. “Unfortunately, he moves quickly when he destroys half the population of these planets he encounters and it is hard to predict where he will go next. The universe is a vast place and we can only search so much before it is a waste of energy. With three stones on Midgard, however, we know he will come for them. It is only a matter of when.”

I bit my lower lip. “And if you had a way to strike first, would you?”

Thor rubbed his beard. “I suppose it depends.”

“Depends on what?”

“The inherent risk of taking action against him. He knows the Avengers are here waiting for him, and so he is biding his time and making a battle plan. If we strike first, it could cripple him, but it could also cause him to come here simply to carry out his mission, not just to try to take the stones from us. It is more than our lives at risk. His armada is enormous and he could kill a lot of innocent people before we could stop him.”

“What if you had the chance to take out his armada before he could arrive to earth?”

He thought about it. “It…would be a risk, but perhaps a worthy one. The Mad Titan himself is a problem, but those who follow him are the real problem for us. If that number could be split in half, or even more, then we would stand a much better chance of defeating him.”

Thor glanced at me. “Why?”

I held my breath for a second. I wanted to tell him. I really did. But then I thought about how it would sound—me, a rookie, risking her life to try something that might not even work, and possibly bringing Thanos’ wrath down on the world. And doing it in the company of Loki, who had betrayed and tried to kill all the Avengers including Thor on multiple occasions. Repeating it back in my head sounded insane. I couldn’t do this to him. I couldn’t do this to the team, either.

“No reason,” I said in the end. “Just thinking out loud.”

Thor kissed my forehead. “When we face him, it will be together. We will be victorious. We have stopped his attempts thus far. We have stopped every threat to the world so far.”

I smiled a little. “I feel safer already.”

I kissed him. “Want some more pie?”

“Ooh, yes, please,” Thor said with a big, eager grin. I shimmied out from under the covers and headed for the kitchen to fix dinner. Once I was safely out of sight, I took a deep breath, picked up my phone, and did the unthinkable.

_Loki,_

_Can we meet tomorrow morning?_

* * *

I didn’t like Loki much, but I definitely appreciated his skillset. First off, that conversation we’d had in my room the other night hadn’t been recorded or heard by FRIDAY because he’d enveloped my entire apartment under a concealment spell. The A.I. couldn’t see or hear a thing. Second off, he could extend it around himself or other people if he needed to. He’d told me to leave my apartment after Thor headed out to do his morning workout and he would shield me from view as I went to his suite. I did have to admit the sneaking around with magic aspect was kind of cool, even if this whole thing still made me uncomfortable and uncertain.

My own magic was unique. To me, it felt like a cool breeze that simply lived inside me at my fingertips. I could extend it and move it around at will with just a thought. I’d been able to feel Loki’s magic since the first time he touched me, and it felt like a tingling net of energy on my skin as I strode down the hallway, invisible to the naked eye. He’d placed an illusion over the door to his apartment so it wouldn’t look like the door opened or shut as I entered, and then the magic dropped as soon as I walked in.

He wasn’t in the den waiting for me. I frowned and glanced about the dimly lit surroundings, mostly done in golds and greens and browns. As sunny and colorful as Thor’s apartment had been, Loki’s was as dark and almost monochrome. It felt more like a cave than an apartment.

“Loki?”

“You are early,” his arrogant, annoyed voice told me from where I assumed was the bedroom door.

I rolled my eyes. “Early bird catches the worm, serpent.”

“What use have you for worms, kitten?”

“It’s just a saying, you jerkass. Hurry up. I want to get breakfast already.”

“Must you nag, woman? I have already gone out of my way to accommodate you.”

“Piss off.”

He chuckled then, and I heard footsteps. “Such lovely words from a lady.”

Then Loki appeared. In just a towel. And nothing else.

He strode towards me with a smaller towel in his hands, drying his hair, and I tried to train my gaze on his face, but it didn’t work. My stupid eyes betrayed me and made the journey down his throat to his collarbones and from there, over the wiry muscles in his chest, stopping just above the towel and his carved abs. He was pale as usual, but his skin held a little more color from the hot shower.

The bastard had the gall to smile at me with perfect innocence and say, “Good morning, kitten.”

I glared at him. “You think you’re funny, don’t you?”

“I do not know what you mean,” he sniffed, and then he headed for the refrigerator. _Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Don’t look—goddammit!_

Apparently, a nice ass ran in the family. Argh.

He reached into the freezer and pulled out some coffee grounds. “I take it you asked my brother about Thanos and it changed your mind?”

“Not exactly,” I grumbled as I took a seat at the island counter and forced myself to stare at the fridge instead of at the water beading on his naked back, which was way too sculpted for my liking. I didn’t know he’d been hiding all that under that armor. Which was exactly why he was doing this to me. I knew full well Loki could summon clothing onto himself in just a second or two, so he was giving me free looks just to be a pain-in-the-ass. “I want more details about why you think this would work instead of what we’re doing right now as a team. After all, you’re the only one of us who has encountered him face-to-face. Know thy enemy.”

He paused. “I do not know Thanos. No one does. The closest that might would be his daughters, Gamora and Nebula.”

“Start there, then,” I said. “What do you know about his daughters?”

“Only rumors that they have defected and tried to kill him,” he said. “There is some sort of farce of a team called the Guardians of the Galaxy. They rescued Xandar from Ronan’s wrath and killed him. That is how the Nova Corp came into possession of the power stone.”

“Is there any way to contact them to ask for help?”

“Perhaps. The Nova Corp, as far as I know, does not associate with Midgard, but perhaps SHIELD has some record of contact with them.”

I clasped my hands and rested them over my mouth, thinking. “Where did you get the intelligence about Thanos making his move soon?”

“I have eyes and ears inside of his camp. It took some doing, but Thanos tends to find followers by slaughtering their families and then extorting the survivors. With the exception of his Children, they are eager to betray him.”

“And you don’t think they’re feeding you fake information?”

“Thanos killed their entire family. I cannot see much reason why they would lie.” He flicked a smug smile at me over his shoulder. “And I know liars when I see them.”

“I bet you do.”

He walked over to the island with two mugs. Up went my eyebrows. He slid one over to me. I eyed him. He stared at me over the rim of his and took a sip. I relaxed a little bit and took my own. It was actually pretty good. Some kind of expensive coffee that was so silky it probably didn’t need cream.

“Sugar?”

“Is that my new pet name?” he replied without missing a beat.

I heaved a sigh. I should have known better. “Where is the sugar, jackass?”

He snorted. “Pantry above the stove, little kitten.”

I muttered insults under my breath as I walked over and opened the cabinet. I frowned and moved his various spices and other ingredients around. “I don’t see it.”

“It is in there, woman.”

“I don’t see it,” I repeated through my teeth.

“Then your eyes are not working properly.”

I spun around…and noticed where his eyes had been aiming. Then I thought about how I’d just positioned myself trying to reach into the cabinet. Loki wore a Cheshire cat grin before he took another sip of coffee.

“You are an _asshole_.”

“You are gullible.”

“Tell me where the damn sugar is before I dump hot coffee into your lap.”

He shook with mocking laughter and then pointed to the counter behind me. There was a little ceramic container with sugar in it. I grabbed it and a spoon and marched back to the island, muttering even fouler insults under my breath as I added it to my coffee. “If this is what it’s going to be like working with you, I think I’d rather let Thanos kill me.”

“God of Mischief,” he reminded me.

“Anyway,” I growled. “If you think we can somehow pull off integrating my powers with the Casket and taking out Thanos’ army, what about the fallout? What if he takes it personal and he comes down here to kill innocent people?”

“He is going to do it regardless,” Loki said, all traces of humor gone. “It would simply be on a different timeline. We would want him unbalanced and angry. Even warlords make mistakes.”

“Then why not tell the team? Don’t they need to prepare for his counterstrike?”

“They will not allow their little kitten to risk life and limb, even if it would give us the advantage,” he said coldly. “I know these Midgardians. They can only sacrifice so much. Their sentiment clouds their judgment. Yours does not.”

I bristled at that. “Because you just know me so well, don’t you?”

“I know you better than you think, mortal.”

“And how is that? Because I let you smack me around a few times? Because I let you unbutton my shirt?”

“Because we are both orphans and we know the cost of survival,” he said. The quiet truth and finality of it left me speechless. Loki set the coffee down and walked around to face me, and his stare was so intense I felt it on my skin the way I’d felt his magic when I walked in. “You are not like the others. The only other person who may understand our plight would be the witch, but she has found love, and so she would no longer know the pain of what it is to put survival above all other things. You may be enamored with Thor, for now, but you know that at the end of the day, you must survive. And that survival is worth betraying your Avengers because you know how quickly life can snatch away your happiness. You grew up all alone, didn’t you? Unloved. Unwanted. Uncertain. You did not see the world around you; only threats. You had to protect yourself. Nothing else mattered. And so I know that you will do what is necessary to protect life here on Midgard.”

I swallowed hard, but I didn’t back down. “You weren’t an orphan, Loki. You had a family. One that loved you dearly, even with Odin being a selfish prick of a father, from what I hear. Why do you think you know me? You’ve had someone in your corner all along, and you ignored him because of your ego.”

“Do not pretend to know my motivations, girl. Your life is but a pinprick in time compared to mine. I have seen things that would crush your psyche to powder if you saw them yourself.”

“Oh, yes, Loki, you’re so big and powerful just because you’re a thousand-year-old spoiled alien prince with a Narcissistic personality! If you had a brain at all, you’d realize you’re only alone because you _want_ to be alone.”

“Is that right?” he hissed. “What do you propose that I do? Fall to my knees and lick the boots of the Avengers the way that you do?”

I slapped him. It hurt like hell, but it was worth it for the utter surprise that stole across his pale, slightly damp face. He stared at me in disbelief for a second and then a filthy chuckle leaked out from between his lips.

“I do love it when you show me your claws, kitten,” he murmured. “You are of course aware that I could snap you in half like a twig, yes?”

“Square up then, bitch,” I snarled. “I’ll die clawing your eyes out.”

His chuckle deepened. “And there it is.”

“There what is?”

“Those eyes. That is why this is going to work. When you are angry, I see the power within you most clearly. Your outrage is exactly what will grant us triumph over the Casket when you wield it.”

“Why are you so sure I’m going to say yes?”

“It is who you are,” he said simply. “You protect.”

He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Return to me tonight upon the ninth hour, kitten. I will be ready for you.”

I couldn’t think of anything clever to say, so I just stuck with, “Wear a shirt this time, bird chest.”

The look of indignation on his face fueled me through the entire rest of the day.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty and Loki set their plan into motion, but there's one little snag.

“This is a bad idea.”

“More than likely,” Loki agreed.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Think of the trillions of lives at stake. We could maybe slow Thanos down if we wiped out his armada before he attacked. It would be worth the risk. It could tip the scales of the war, even if it lost me the trust of my team. “Fine. Let’s see it.”

Loki brought both hands up, but then hesitated. I cocked my head slightly, and he explained. “Because of my…”

Something bitter flickered across his face. “…heritage, when I hold it, the magic that Odin infused with me when he found me fades. It is not a pretty sight.”

I studied him. He kept his expression remote, but I could tell his true appearance bothered him. I didn’t say anything in return; just nodded.

He exhaled and then a soft blue glow filled the space between his hands. An object formed a moment later, about the size of Pandora’s Box in most depictions of the Greek myth. Blue and black patterns slithered inside of it. Its color was sickly and unsettling, and something in my gut thrummed with the desire to touch it for some reason.

And, as he held it, Loki began to change.

His pale skin starting at his fingertips deepened into a rich, dark blue that crept all the way up his arms, then his neck, and across his face. His features sharpened and ridges grew along his forehead and cheeks, the back of his hands, at his neck, swirling patterns of tattoos following them as well. His normally topaz eyes bled to bright red with dark pinprick pupils.

“This,” he whispered. “Is what I am underneath. A monster.”

I let my gaze rove over his true self. He stared at me. I couldn’t tell what he thought I’d do, maybe cover my mouth in horror or look at him with disgust. Truth be told, I’d never seen a Frost Giant before, and I found him more interesting than grotesque.

I reached up and lay my fingers against the sharpness of his cheekbone. The ridges felt interesting, sort of like Braille. His skin felt thicker too, as if it would take a very heavy, sharp blade to cut it.

“Hmm,” I said, tilting his chin a bit. “I’ve seen worse.”

He peered down at me, seeming unsure of my sincerity. “Have you, now?”

“What can I say? Blue’s my favorite color anyway.”

His lips twitched up at one corner for a split second, but he didn’t react any other way. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was a little relieved. “Take my hands, kitten.”

“I might die, you know,” I told him, trying to sound brave rather than utterly terrified as I lifted my hands on either side of his. “Maybe don’t let that be the last thing I hear.”

Loki chuckled and then breathed my name to me in a disturbingly melodic tone. “Let us find out just how strong you are, my lovely mortal.”

He slid his hands out from beneath mine, and the Casket dropped into them.

A surge of pure energy shot up both my arms and slammed into my chest. I cried out and stumbled back, clutching the handles to the ancient power as I tried to get it under control. I choked on wave after wave of pure magic that crashed against me like waves on a rocky shore. It wore away whatever protection I had in place and shoved its way into the beacon of energy at my chest.

“Don’t fight it,” Loki warned. “It’ll tear you apart. Let it in. Let it bind with you.”

“L-Loki, it’s—” I gasped out, stumbling over the simple syllables in his name from the tremendous power assaulting my senses. “It’s too much—I can’t—”

“It wants you to combine with it,” he urged. “Don’t struggle. Accept the power.”

I gritted my teeth, biting back a scream, but I couldn’t hold it any longer. I screamed loud and long and then everything abruptly went dark.

* * *

“…back…come back to me…kitten…”

The world was underwater. Or maybe it just felt that way.

Sound and sight were muddled. I couldn’t move yet. My limbs felt a thousand pounds each. So did my eyelids. I just wanted to go back to sleep, but then something touched me. A light, gentle brush, maybe someone’s fingers. Bit by bit, my sight cleared.

Loki drifted into focus after a moment. His skin was no longer that rich, dark blue, but its normal paleness. His lips moved but I couldn’t read them. Then, gradually my hearing returned.

“…that’s it, kitten, just breathe,” he told me in a low, reassuring voice. The cadence to how he spoke suggested he’d been saying it over and over again, cajoling me into consciousness. I followed instructions and the longer I did, the more aware I became. I realized my head was in his lap and the rest of me was strewn across the floor. He had one hand lying over the upper part of my chest, as if he’d been measuring my breaths and heartbeat, and he probably had if he’d thought I’d died.

“Typical Loki,” I croaked. “Always trying to cop a feel.”

He let out a hoarse little chuckle, his eyes gleaming. “Always.”

He slid his hand up my neck to my cheek, as if feeling for warmth, and then let go. “Welcome back, kitten.”

“How long was I out?” I asked, and noticed my words were slurred.

“Your heart stopped for thirty-three seconds,” he said idly. “After that, roughly ten minutes.”

“Oh, joy,” I muttered. “I’m sure that’ll have no lasting negative effects.”

I tried to sit up, but he held me down with his hand again. “I just said your heart stopped, mortal woman. Stay.”

I glared. “I’m not a dog.”

“Yes, dogs are obedient,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “Just give it another minute. We need to be sure you won’t burst into flames or go into convulsions.”

“More pleasant thoughts.” I shifted, and my foot hit something heavy. I glanced down to see an empty glass case of some sort. I realized a jolt of surprise that it was the Casket.

“Is all that _in me_ right now?” I sputtered.

“Yes,” Loki confirmed. “I thought it would merely share power with you, but instead, it melded with you. Not what I predicted.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” I snapped. “What does that even mean?”

“You are a great deal more powerful than I predicted, for one,” he said. “And I am unsure of the other implications. You may be able to separate it and return the power to its holding cell in time, but for now, the Casket’s power lives within you.”

I frowned. “But I don’t feel any different.”

“It may take time. We’ll see. But we need to take care of you until then, so…”

I yelped as he scooped me up from the floor and settled me into the lounge chair. I stared at him in disbelief. “Did you just do something nice?”

“You are our best shot at crippling Thanos,” he said dryly. “Yes, if I must be nice to you, then so be it.”

“You’re sweeter than sugar cubes, Loki.”

He rolled his eyes. “Rest.”

“We can’t exactly have a sleepover. I’m dating your brother.”

“As stated before,” he said, pouring a glass of water and handing it to me. “What my thick-headed brother does not know will not hurt him.”

I accepted it and took a long sip. The headache died down somewhat and I placed it on the coffee table, suddenly tired. “Well. Maybe I’ll just close my eyes for a minute.”

“Mm-hmm,” he said in that annoying knowing tone of his.

I shut my eyes and dragged the elegant, patterned blanket down from the edge of the lounge chair and burrowed into it. It was a lot softer than it looked, and warmer too. “Don’t kill me in my sleep, Loki.”

“I shall try my hardest to resist the urge.”

I fell asleep with a laugh on my lips.

* * *

Someone brushed my hair off my cheek. I felt warm breath near my ear, and then a rolling purr.

“Get your lazy carcass off my lounge chair, woman.”

I snorted back laughter. “Best wakeup call ever.”

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and sat up. Loki, oddly enough, did not lean away from me. I almost did a double take. He’d been less and less standoffish lately, and I worried he was luring me into a false sense of security or something.

“How do you feel?” he asked, disturbing my paranoid thoughts.

“Still a little tired, but fine. How long was I out this time?”

“Just under a couple of hours.”

I groaned. “That’s bad.”

“Why is that bad?”

“Because it’s the middle of the night and Thor is expecting me,” I fussed, tossing off the blanket. “Where’s my phone?”

“Counter,” he said, and I walked over to find a few new messages. “Really, it is not worth fretting over such trivial things.”

“Yeah, well, Thor isn’t the jealous type, but you are the God of Mischief.” I quickly responded to the most important texts and then assured Thor that I was just fine and I’d see him in a bit. “A lot of mischief happens at night.”

“What’s done in the dark,” he mused. “Is that not a Midgardian saying?”

“Yep. And I have no intention of being in the dark with you, so I’d better go.”

“Mm. If you say so.”

I arched an eyebrow at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing at all, kitten. Run along.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’m onto you.”

“Are you?” He lifted his brow in return. “As if you could in any way predict my actions.”

“You’re not nearly as mysterious as you think you are.”

“Oh? And what do you think are my intentions, kitten?”

I let my head finally clear and thought it through. “I’m not your type, at all, but I don’t think you much care. You won’t actively pursue me with your brother in the picture, but you wouldn’t turn me down if I wanted to sleep with you. I would guess from your reactions that you haven’t had sex in a while, maybe a year or two, and you’re starting to feel the itch. Aside from Thor, you don’t have another ally on the team, and I’m guessing that you do this wherever you go—secure at least one other person as an ally in case everything goes to shit, and I’m a good choice since I have the least amount of baggage and I don’t have many ties that will come back to trip you up. Plus, if something did happen and I died, you wouldn’t be too broken up about it, whereas if something happened to Thor, it would bother you, and so you need someone who can take the risks without becoming a problem down the road.”

I faced him more squarely. “I believe the stuff about the Casket and Thanos. That’s why I said yes. But I’m not stupid, Loki. I know a predator when I see one. You may pretend to be tame and let me pet your fur, but you’ll devour me if I turn my back for long enough. Maybe it won’t always be that way with you, but don’t treat me like I don’t know better. You want me to become addicted to this power and to sneaking around behind the team’s back. I’ll admit it is a little exciting, but I have no intention of going Dark Side. I told you that I care about your brother, and I meant it, so if you’re hoping that I’m going to slip up and toss you some free ass, you’re sorely mistaken.”

Loki stared down into my soul, and the things swirling in his eyes made me both deeply unsettled and breathless at the same time. He did not move an inch, and yet it felt as if his presence filled the whole room. I’d made him angry, for sure, which probably meant I’d been right about everything I said.

“You are smarter than you look,” he said quietly. “There are few who have spoken to me in such a manner and lived to tell the tale. Know this: I will play by your rules…”

He leaned in, close enough for me to smell the mint on his breath, his voice lowered to just a buzz of vibrating atoms in my ear. “…but if you stray from the path for even a second, I will swallow you whole. And you will thank me when I am done with you.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” I said, and then headed for the door. It hissed open.

And Thor stood on the other side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short and is almost all plot, but I promise the next one will be posted quickly to make up for it.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty faces the music and comes clean with Thor.

“Thor?”

I stayed frozen in the spot of the doorway to Loki’s suite. Thor pretty much filled the entrance with his large form, and his lone eye fixed itself to me immediately. His expression was very unlike him. He wasn’t angry or upset. Instead, he seemed…disappointed. Which somehow was even worse.

“Milady,” he said in a low, quiet voice.

“I…” Words failed me. Shit. What the hell could I even say? I’d been caught red-handed.

He glanced past me. “May I come in?”

“No,” Loki said in his most petulant voice.

Thor rolled his eye and gently nudged me to one side as he walked in. The door hissed shut behind him and left us in a deafening silence. All I could hear was my frantic heartbeat and unsteady breaths.

“Would either of you like to tell me what is going on?” Thor asked. Again, the fact that he didn’t sound angry or jealous actually worried me more than if he had been either of those things.

“It is none of your affair, brother,” Loki said. “And you are trespassing. Would you like me to show you the door or would you like to be thrown through it?”

Thor smirked darkly. “Do not test me right now, Loki. I am in no mood. Explain what you are doing with my lady at this hour and why your magic is upon her door or I will throttle it out of you.”

Loki’s expression darkened. “Go ahead, Odinson.”

Thor took a step forward, and I darted between the two Asgardians. “Alright, stop it, both of you.”

I glanced at Loki. “Look, he’s not going to just give up and you know it.”

Loki scowled at me and then flicked a hand dismissively. “Go on and sing for him, little bird.”

“Jerk,” I grumbled, and then addressed Thor. “It’s…sort of a long story, but I’ll try and sum it up. Loki received intelligence suggesting that Thanos is coming for the stones on earth if not now, then soon. He pieced together that the reactor that gave me my ice magic actually was a version of the magic from the Casket. So we decided to try to combine the magic together to make me powerful enough to…”

I winced. “…wipe out Thanos’ army before he could get here.”

Thor inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. I got the sudden impression he’d counted to ten before responding. “And this was Loki’s idea, I take it?”

“Yes.”

He nodded a bit. “Sounds reckless enough to be him.”

Loki snorted. “And here comes the self-righteous judgment from the son of Odin.”

Thor glared at him. “Self-righteous? You are essentially about to wage war on Thanos without telling the rest of the Avengers. It would be one thing if you decided to do this yourself, but instead you have risked her life to meet your ends.”

“She did not have to agree,” he spat. “She is not a child.”

“ _She’s_ standing right here,” I said, and then crossed my arms. “And she will kick you both in the nuts if you don’t stop this stupid pissing match and act like adults.”

Thor winced a bit. “Apologies, milady. I lost my temper. But I meant what I said. This action will undoubtedly result in warfare upon the Avengers and upon Midgard.”

He brushed his fingers against my cheek, his tone softer. “Upon you. Why didn’t you tell me?”

I swallowed hard. A lump the size of an orange had formed in my throat when I saw the worry etched into those handsome features. _Because I didn’t want you to look at me like that,_ my brain sighed.

I turned away and started to pace on the rug, sorting out a way to explain myself. “Thor, I didn’t want to keep you out of the loop. The first thing I wanted to do was ask your opinion, but I knew how it would sound for some rookie to go along with a plan that probably has like a forty-percent chance of success—”

“Sixty-eight-point-five,” Loki said in a bored voice. “I calculated.”

I pointed at him. “Don’t make me freeze your tongue to the roof of your mouth.”

He glared at me, but I could also see a smidgen of uncertainty in it. He wondered if I really could do that with the added power of the Casket, and hence, didn’t speak. Ha. Served him right.

“But,” I continued. “Loki raised a really good point. If Thanos gets here, he’ll kill thousands while he’s coming after the stones. Even if we get a heads up somehow, innocent people will die while we try to stop him. If we wipe out his army, then we stand a much better chance of minimalizing the damage and reducing the innocent bystanders who will get hurt in the crossfire.”

I finally stopped in front of him. “Think about it, Thor. If we get even half of his army, we can save so many lives.”

He searched my gaze for a long moment. “I understand your plan, my lady. I do. But this is Thanos. His army is almost incalculable. How do you know that the Casket will grant you enough power to kill even half of his army?”

“Loki had his inside man run the numbers,” I told him. “We know how many there are. We know that he brings his army from planet to planet, but that isn’t where they are stored between conquests. Loki found their home world where he gathers them up onto his war ships. We can get there and then I unleash everything I’ve got. Wipe them out. Then we strike. Don’t even give him the chance to come to Earth.”

“And so you had planned to call the team after you wiped out the army and tell them to join the fight?”

“Yes.”

“They will not like it. They will be quite angry with you.”

“I know. But I thought it was still worth it.”

Thor sighed and dragged one hand down his face. “It is still as reckless as I thought, but you may have a point in that it would set him off balance and his resources would be cut off. However, you are planning to be in the belly of the beast. What is the strategy for when you reach their home world?”

“Draw them out somewhere in the open and then release the Casket’s power. It would be like setting off a liquid nitrogen bomb with the range of a nuke. Should freeze them solid and kill them instantly.”

“How do you know you will survive it?”

“I don’t.”

“Milady,” Thor said, taking my shoulders. “This is a terrible risk. Will you not reconsider?”

“I’m scared, Thor,” I whispered, touching his left wrist. “Believe me, I’m scared. But I think this will work. I think we can win this way, and that is certainly worth my life.”

He gritted his teeth. “I cannot take this decision from you. You are a warrior, same as I am.”

His voice dropped, and sadness bloomed through it. “But I wish you had told me, my lady.”

Tears welled up in my eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t.”

Thor smiled at me. “To err is human.”

He kissed my forehead. “I cannot stop you. I will not betray your trust, either. But I am coming with you.”

I blinked up at him. “What?”

“If there are as many creatures in Thanos’ army as I think, then you will need my help out there. I will fight at your side. You will not die on my watch.”

I couldn’t tell what emotion rocked me the most: gratitude or worry about this new development. I turned towards Loki, who just rolled his eyes. “Nothing in the Nine Realms can stop the oaf once he has made up his mind. Very well, then, brother. We depart at dawn.”

Thor gave him a curt nod, and slid his fingers down my arm to my hand. He took it firmly and led me out of Loki’s room and back to my own. My stomach sank to the bottom of my chest cavity. My breathing picked up. Oh God, this was it. This was what I had been dreading. He was going to dump me because I lied to him. Damn it all to hell. Why didn’t I just tell him the truth?

I stubbornly refused to let any tears fall and told myself I wouldn’t cry until after the deed was done. Then at least I’d seem less like a sad little girl, even if I was just lying to myself.

Then, oddly enough, we passed the couch and went to the bedroom instead. I frowned. Why break up with me here? To remind me of what I was about to lose?

Thor shut the bedroom door. Then he pulled me into his arms in the warmest, firmest hug I’d ever felt.

“Thor?” I murmured into his shirt.

“I understand why you did not tell me,” he said quietly, resting his chin on the top of my head. “You did not want to hurt me. You did not want me to worry. You are a brave woman and an even braver warrior.”

He pulled back enough to look down at me, and I saw the exact opposite of what I had expected: compassion. “But you need not hide from me.”

I stared up at him, and the tears fell the next time I blinked. “I…”

“It’s alright,” he whispered. “You have been alone for a very long time. It must be a natural instinct for you to want to protect someone that you care about. You do not have to protect me, my lady. It may take time, but I want you to be honest with me from now on. I know I am impulsive, but I can be patient. And you are worth waiting for.”

That undid me. I hid my face in his shirt and cried. I cried out my frustration with myself and the fear of what I was about to do and the fear that I would lose what I had in order to do what seemed impossible but was absolutely necessary. I cried that I had found someone who wouldn’t bail on me and was kind and understanding when he should have been angry with me.

Through all of it, Thor held me. He didn’t say anything. He just kept those powerful yet careful arms around me. Little by little, I calmed. I listened to the rushing cadence of his breathing until the last of the volatile emotions inside me drained away. All that was left was a vast appreciation for being lucky enough to have met him. It was far too soon to know anything and yet I knew from this moment that Thor had my heart already.

“I’m sorry, Thor,” I whispered hoarsely. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“You are a stubborn lass,” he said, smiling down at me as he wiped my tears away. “I knew it when I met you. I like that about you. No matter what happens, I will be at your side, just as you were at mine the day you saved my life."

I wished I were more eloquent. I wanted to tell him so many things. I wanted to recite sonnets in his name. I wanted to give him some kind of grand, poetic speech about how much I cared about him, and how insane it was that I liked him this much after only about two months of knowing him.

But instead, all I could manage was, “Thank you.”

“Now,” he said, uncurling his arms from around me and scooping me up. “We have another matter to attend to.”

He sat me gently on the bedspread, and settled his hands on either side of me. “Tomorrow, we go to face a terrible evil. Our task is not to be taken lightly.”

I nodded shakily. “I know.”

“Then I think we both could use some comfort.” He kissed me. I felt the need in that kiss: the need for closeness, for intimacy, for affection. I answered it with the same heat and intensity, wrapping my arms around his neck to draw him into me. Maybe words had failed me, but this wouldn’t. If nothing else, touch would save me. Touch would let me show him what I felt for him.

Thor flattened me beneath him on the bed and the kisses deepened, growing messier by the minute. He rolled onto his back and tugged me astride his lap. It was difficult getting my shirt off without breaking away from his lips, but I managed. I had my shirt and bra off in seconds in my haste, and Thor didn't hesitate to claim my breasts. He scooted me up enough to let them fall against his face, and his hot mouth captured my nipples one at a time, his beard tickling and scraping against the soft skin until I shuddered and moaned his name. He smoothed his hands down my naked spine to my waist and shoved my leggings off. He groaned as his fingers slid down over my ass and squeezed it lovingly, his teeth scraping lightly over my right breast, only hinting at just how badly he wanted me right now. He pulled me down to him and I didn't fight it; I worked my hips against the bulge in his jeans, the friction driving sharp spikes of pleasure through my trembling body.

My fingers found the button, the zipper, unleashing his cock and wrapping around it boldly. Thor arched up from the bed with another harsh grunt of want as I stroked him. I shoved his shirt up with my free hand and he tore it off, leaving me breathless as I took in his tantalizing bare chest. He wriggled out of his jeans and boxers and plunged one hand into my hair enough to bring me down to his lips again. He moaned into my mouth as my hand worked up and down his cock again and again.

Not to be outdone, he swept his free hand down my belly and slipped a finger into me, pressing deep into my slick channel, and pleasure pulsed with every movement. We pushed each other to the brink and got perilously close to the climax, but I finally had just enough self-control to pull his finger from inside me and balance over his cock instead.

Thor let his rough fingertips drag down over the nape of my neck, stroking my spine, sweeping over my damp skin until he reached my thighs. He held them securely and we both looked at each other at the same time, somehow knowing exactly what the other person felt without saying a word.

I took him inside me. The easy glide of his cock into my pussy was unparalleled in how goddamn good it felt. Pure ecstasy glided up my spine and wrapped around every limb. Thor hissed out my name from between his teeth, his tone joyous. He slid his hands higher, up towards my hips, tugging me down until his cock buried itself at my melting center.

"Fuck!" I gripped the sheets on either side of him, my head bowed, trying to ride the next wave of pleasure, but he knew me too well. Thor adjusted underneath me just enough to roll his hips, and the tip of his cock hit my spot. I convulsed above him and climaxed so quickly it made me dizzy. I trembled above him, panting wildly, electric shocks dancing up and down my naked skin all over, my pussy clutching him deep inside, as if never wanting to let him go. Thor exhaled long and slow in satisfaction of my pleasure and stroked my legs as I came down from that quick flood of nirvana. Well, I could cross that off the bucket list. I'd never come from just one stroke with a man. Not once.

Once I got my bearings again, I kissed him. It was sloppy and grateful and inelegant. Thor's hands wandered more, sending shivers all through me, and then landed just under my ribs. He lifted me and dropped me once, sighing against my lips as he slid in and out that first time. I didn't resist the moan that slipped out of me.

"My lady," he breathed. "My beautiful lady."

"I am," I whispered back, my throat tight. "I am yours, my king."

I settled into rhythm above him, riding him to the pace he'd set; steady, strong, and constant. Just like him. My world shrank until it was nothing except for him and the way he made me feel, like summertime and sunlight and heaven all mixed together. I cherished every rolling growl that left his throat, deliriously proud that I could make the God of Thunder feel this good, and I wanted to with every fiber of my being because he was amazing in every way.

Thor's hands navigated to my ass and he pushed me down against his pelvis, hitting my clit each time I came down to meet him. I moaned harder and leaned back, my nails raking over his chest as I circled my hips and clenched around the hard column of his cock in time with his movements. He eased me into short, hard thrusts and I cried out for him, tensing as the inevitable weighed down against my reeling senses.

"Come for me, milady," Thor said in a rough, raw voice. "Come sweetly for me."

I couldn't handle another second of his glorious voice commanding me to obey him. I fell apart under his touch yet again, rocking helplessly into him as my climax captured me a second time. I felt his cock pulsing wildly inside me and rolled my hips in a figure-eight, trying to bring him with me, but the stubborn fool would have none of it.

Thor sat up and wrapped one arm around me, pinning me to his wide chest, dropping wet, messy kisses to my mouth. His other hand locked over my ass and he pumped his cock into me quickly, harshly, skin to skin, chest to chest, melding our bodies into one. I cried out for him, digging my nails into his shoulders, driven crazy with lust and pleasure as he slid deeper still inside me while I rode my second orgasm, and in seconds, he pushed me into a third.

"God, Thor, please, please come, please!" I begged in between ragged gasps as his body plundered mine for everything it had. "Come for me, _please_."

He moaned into my mouth at my pleading and ground his hips to mine in one last, devious thrust before he gave in. He came hard inside me with a low, hungry, animalistic groan, trapping me against his gorgeous body for every single second of it. Thor's pleasure was sweeter than anything I'd ever felt. His come filled me until it had nowhere else to go and flooded out of me in a hot rush that made me tremble inside and out. I couldn't put it into words how satisfying it was.

I nearly slumped over in exhaustion, but luckily he had his arms around me, so I didn't fall to the bed in a heap. Drunken lethargy draped itself over me. I lay my sweaty forehead to his and tried to catch my breath. It took a few minutes.

"Congratulations," I said, cracking my heavy lids open enough to look at him. "I am thoroughly comforted."

Thor grinned back at me. "As am I, milady. As am I."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHA I MADE A PUN IN THE CHAPTER DESCRIPTION DIDJA SEE IT?


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty, Thor, and Loki prepare for war.

“Just as an aside,” I told the God of Mischief hovering to my left. “If this kills me, I’m gonna haunt the shit out of you.”

“Consider me properly warned,” Loki replied with a tone drier than the Sahara. “Now get on with it, kitten.”

“Loki,” Thor said with strained patience. “This is a dangerous feat. Have some sympathy for once in your life.”

“Sympathy?” he echoed, tapping his chin as if mystified. “Is that some sort of food?”

I rolled my eyes and knelt in front of the man-made lake in front of me that stretched quite far. We were on the uninhabited side of it to test out the Casket’s might. After all, we couldn’t put the cart before the horse. We needed to know it had enhanced my abilities enough to kill Thanos’ army or the whole thing will have been for nothing. At my strongest, I had been able to create about three feet of ice over the lake’s surface from one shore to the next, which spanned several acres. I used to practice by myself on surfaces of water, converting them from water to ice and back again.

“Here goes nothing,” I muttered, and then shut my eyes. I reached for the power that nested itself inside my chest and cultivated it to the surface. A long, frosted breath escaped my lips and shimmering ice magic spilled down through my limbs. I gasped sharply as it bloomed out to my fingertips and then touched the water.

A blanket of ice shot across the water’s surface so quickly it blew a blast of cold air back against me and the sons of Odin.

And in less than five seconds, the entire lake had been frozen solid.

Silence permeated the air.

“Holy shit,” I breathed as I pushed to my feet. I eyed the thick layers of ice and took a cautious step forward. It held. Hell, it did more than that; it felt like concrete underneath me.

“By the Yggdrasil,” Loki murmured. “She’s done it.”

“How do you feel, my lady?” Thor asked.

“I think,” I said, frowning down at my ice-caked boots. “I think I’m okay.”

“It is definitely a new look for you,” Loki said mildly. I blinked at him quizzically. He flipped one of his knives over into my hand. I checked my reflection in the blade and almost dropped the dagger entirely. My hair had turned silvery-white and my eyes glowed a steady, bright blue like Thor’s lightning, no pupil or visible. I gawked at it for a few seconds and then a hysterical giggle rippled through me. _“Me gusta.”_

“It does suit you,” Thor said, tilting his head slightly, a smile of admiration on his lips.

I shut my eyes and concentrated on Loki’s dagger. Effortlessly, ice formed around it and hardened, lengthening into an elegant rapier, its blade cloudy with snowflake patterns. It usually took quite a bit of will for me to do it usually, and now I could with ease. I swung it about to test the weight and it felt perfectly balanced and even like the swords Thor and I practiced with. I grinned and tossed it to Loki, who caught it with a smirk. I opened both hands, palms flat and pointed up, and then gathered more will power with more ice.

Until I’d formed an exact ice replica of Stormbreaker.

Thor let out a delighted laugh. “Bravo, milady.”

I bowed. “And for my next trick, anvils!”

They both stared at me in confusion and I shook my head. “Long story. I think we’re all set for our insanely dangerous mission, Brodinsons.”

“Brodinsons,” Loki lamented in total irritation. “I am going into battle with an adolescent.”

I scowled at him and reformed Stormbreaker into an exact ice replica of Mjolnir. “Here, Thor, plop this on his chest for a while.”

Thor chuckled while Loki gave me a sour look and turned on his heel. “Come, foolish girl. We need to get to the ship before the team becomes suspicious.”

I wiggled my fingers and Mjolnir fell into soft flakes between them. Then I stretched my hand out over the lake and closed them into a fist. The ice instantly melted back into water and lapped calmly, pleasantly, under the slowly awakening sunlight. Man, I could get used to this.

We walked through the woods until we left what little bit of civilization was left behind and made it to a clearing. That had nothing in it.

“Is it an invisible jet?” I asked Loki. “Because that’s not going to look very inconspicuous.”

Loki flicked a hand, and the illusion dropped. I found myself staring at a spaceship a good deal larger than the Quinjet, even the one that had been built to be space-worthy. It wasn’t as massive as the ship they’d arrived to earth on from Asgard, but it was still huge. It had a deep gunmetal grey hull and had wide, heavy wings with round thrusters. Loki had mentioned it would take a day to reach the planet, so he’d likely gotten something this accommodating so we could bunk up and rest for the journey.

It hit me all of the sudden that I was about to leave the planet earth with two Norse gods to fight a warlord, and for a moment, my feet didn’t want to budge. I was about to do something that would change my life. I could die. I could never return to these wonderful people who had taken me in. What if I failed?

Then I felt Thor slip his warm, strong fingers between mine.

I glanced up at him. He smiled at me, and it was as warm as the incoming sunlight on the horizon. “Ready, my lady?”

I exhaled and squeezed his hand. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

* * *

Sleeping in space was not easy.

I’d thought that maybe with the low hum of the ship’s engines that it might lure me to dreamland, but no such luck. I couldn’t stop thinking about how dangerous and stupid I was being. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, after all. I could only pray it was worth it in the end. Trillions of lives. Trillions.

Thor lay next to me, dead sleep, and I envied him massively for it. I didn’t want to disturb him, so I very carefully maneuvered from under his arm. After all, no point; I was just lying here running all the worst case scenarios through my head like a news reel. Maybe I could just stargaze until we arrived. Might as well.

I padded towards the pilot bay, but then stopped halfway there when I heard a noise. Not the occasional clank of something mechanical. A…human noise. Like a grunt. Odd.

I tilted my head this way and that until I heard it again. Then I paled once I realized it was coming from Loki’s quarters. Shit. Not a good idea. I had a feeling the truce wouldn’t extend into anything personal. I should just mind my damn business.

I took another three steps and this time the noise make me shiver. He sounded in pain. Dammit. I didn’t have a choice.

The scanner beside the door allowed me access, since we’d all put our biometrics in once we’d boarded. Loki’s quarters looked like mine, only flipped—the bed was in the center, the bathroom straight ahead, not much room as it was built for efficiency instead of comfort.

Loki lay tangled in his sheets, twisting against the thin mattress, one fist clenched into the pillow, the other around his naked torso. Oh, hell. He almost seemed to be having a bad reaction to something, except that something hurt so badly I could hear muffled grunting and cries of pain.

“Loki,” I said in my most soothing voice as I darted over to his side. “Loki, come on, wake up, it’s okay, look at me.”

The second my hand touched the back of his shoulder, he shot up from the bed and grabbed me by the throat. I had no idea where the dagger came from, but it didn’t matter. It was somehow there in his other hand and on its way into my chest.

“Loki!” I caught his wrist before the blade could pierce my skin. He jumped at the sound of his name and then blinked at me rapidly, and his eyes cleared from whatever the hell he’d been seeing in the dream. The dagger vanished and he let go of me. I coughed a couple times as the air returned to my lungs and took a long breath to stop shaking.

“What the hell are you doing?” he snarled, panting erratically, his sooty hair in ringlets over his eyes.

“Trying to keep you from dying, dumbass,” I shot back. “I could hear you from the hallway. You were screaming.”

His eyes widened. “What?”

“You were screaming bloody murder, Loki. You had one hand over your stomach like you were being torn apart or something.”

His hand absently wandered to his abs, but then he shook himself and lowered it. Strangely, there was no scar there, but he acted as if there had been one. “I…it must have been…”

“Must have been what?” I pressed in a gentler tone.

He scowled at me. “It is not important. I am not dying. Leave me alone, mortal woman.”

I clenched my teeth. “Why? So you can go right back to it in another hour and neither of us gets any rest?”

“My suffering has no effect on you whatsoever, girl,” he seethed. “Go away.”

“Bullshit,” I said, crossing my arms. “We can’t go into this shitstorm distracted or we’ll both end up dead. And we both know you love yourself too much to die for real, so just grow up and talk to me.”

Loki took one long step towards me until he towered over me. He didn’t go for my throat this time; instead, he wedged his long forefinger and thumb underneath my chin and tilted my head all the way back to look into his crazed eyes. “Or what? You’ll make me, little kitten?”

“Yes,” I said calmly. “I’ll make you.”

His shoulders shook. Mocking laughter spilled out of him. “The power of the Casket has clearly destroyed what little brains you had to begin with, pet.”

And there it was. The final piece that clicked into place for me. Loki distanced himself with biting sarcasm and threats. He retreated and shoved people away almost violently, like a reflex. He was a bully so he could get back to what he was used to: being alone. I knew that simply because it was a similar coping mechanism of mine, only I used humor and self-deprecation.

So I didn’t lose my temper. I didn’t say anything snarky. I just stared at him until I saw the recognition in his eyes that I’d figured him out. Then I reached up and gently touched the spot he had been clutching when I found him. “What happened here?”

His eyelids flickered. He swayed slightly, and lifted his head, staring at me with a haunted look. “It would give you nightmares if I told you.”

“What’s one more sleepless night?” I asked quietly.

Loki swallowed. He dropped his hand from under my chin, but didn’t move away. I felt his pulse through the pale skin—alarmingly rapid and fleeting, as if he wanted to run even though he had nowhere to go.

“When I went into the void,” he said in a raw, hoarse voice. “I found myself in Thanos’ realm. They brought me aboard his ship. They tied me up and gagged me. They tried to determine where I’d come from, and they figured out I was a Jotun. At first, they tried to sell me. Naturally, I would not cooperate. I killed the slave master and his men, and so they decided to teach me a lesson.”

He inhaled. “Ebony Maw is a very meticulous creature. He is just as careful as what you call a surgeon on your world. He made an incision here.”

He closed his hand over mine. “Then, he inserted a device that slowly compressed my spine one minute at a time.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” I whispered.

Loki snorted. “Yes.”

I licked my lips and stared at the spot. “For how long?”

“I lost count beyond three days.”

I shuddered from head to toe. “Fucking hell, Loki.”

“Yes,” he whispered, and his stare slipped off into somewhere I couldn’t follow. “It was hell.”

I didn’t think before I did it, but I hugged him. Fuck it. I didn’t know what else to do. I’d never heard anything so goddamn horrifying in my entire life. Loki didn’t move a muscle at first, as if he didn’t register the embrace. Then, after a bit, he exhaled.

“You can let go now,” he told me. “I am…not broken.”

I pulled away and nodded slowly, wiping away the tears that clung to my lashes. “No. You’re not.”

He studied me. “You pity me?”

“No. I’m glad you told me this story. I’ll never understand you, not really, but at least now there’s one piece to the puzzle I can call my own. How did you escape?”

“I didn’t,” he said. “Maw interrogated me once I broke. When he found out who I truly was, he brought me before Thanos and we brokered a deal: Midgard for the Tesseract. He spared me and promised me what I wanted as long as I delivered.”

“So if we don’t pull this off—”

“Then you know what awaits you,” he told me. “If they get you…death would be a joy compared to what they will do to you. You must promise me that you will not be the hero that Avengers have taught you to be. If things go wrong, you will leave and return to Midgard. Say it.”

“Fuck you,” I spat. “You think I’m going to turn tail on you just because you showed me your scars? I care about you, shithead. And your brother loves you more than damn near anything in the Nine Realms. So if something happens to your stupid pale ass, I am going to save you, and that’s that.”

He gripped my shoulders and squeezed hard enough to hurt, almost dragging me off the floor. “Listen to me, you stubborn sow! You are not an immortal. You cannot withstand even a fraction of the pain that Thanos and his children can inflict upon your person. Not even a _millisecond_ of it. No matter how strong you are with the Casket’s magic coursing through your veins. You _will_ leave me. You _will_ leave Thor. Do you understand?”

I stared into him then. “And if I get caught? Will you leave me there?”

Loki stared back. “Without a second thought.”

“Good. Then we know where we stand.”

He gritted his teeth. “You stupid, childish, foolish little whelp.”

I brushed his hands off. “Yeah, yeah, you’ll huff and you’ll puff, and you’ll blow my house down. I get it already.”

I considered him for one more moment and then got up on my toes and kissed his cheek. “Now go back to sleep, big bad wolf.”

I left him standing there, speechless, and went to stargaze.

* * *

Dreadnaught was an _ugly_ planet.

Its upper atmosphere was so crowded with refuse—mainly shattered asteroids and wreckage from ships—that it almost seemed like it had a hideous halo around it. The planet’s surface wasn’t much better; half of it cracked with molten lava and blackened mountain peaks, the other half desolated forests. Thanos’ handiwork was clear from just a glance. And to think he wanted to make the earth look this way sooner rather than later…

The three of us stood in the cockpit in a tense silence as the vessel entered the planet’s gravitational pull and began its entry sequence.

“Thor will attract them,” Loki said quietly. “He will draw them to you, and you will destroy as many as you can. I will watch from afar for any sign of reinforcements and then I will come for you when you are done. Do you understand, kitten?”

“Yes.”

“If we arrive and there is any sign of Thanos, we will retreat or we will hide. Do not face him nor his Children, or you will be slain no matter how much power you now possess, little mortal.”

“Loki,” Thor said in warning.

“I will not have her disillusioned,” Loki spat. “Hope poisons the soul. We must be vigilant and we must face reality or we will all perish.”

“It’s okay,” I said softly. “I know the risks. Let’s suit up.”

I moved away from the cockpit and over near the release hatch. It was a good distance from the brothers, but I could hear Thor’s hushed voice, brimming with rage. “I will not leave her, Loki. Even if you will.”

“Then you are a fool. What good will it do your precious Midgard if you are too dead to defend it? Is she truly worth the world to you? Would you really throw your life away for your sweetling that you have known a grand total of two months? She is a passing fancy, Thor. There will be a hundred more like her before you meet your end as Odin did.”

Thor stayed silent for a long moment and then said, “Are you trying to convince me not to go back for her…or you?”

For once, the Silvertongue had no answer.

Heavy footsteps approached. I squared my shoulders and tried to arrange my expression into what I hoped was a fearless look. Thor gripped my right hand and kissed the back of it gently. “Good luck, my lady.”

I lifted up onto my tiptoes and kissed him. “Good luck, my king.”

The vessel jerked abruptly as it reached cruising speed over the planet’s surface. We’d made it to the forest side. Dusk leaked strange colors across the sky; luminescent greens and violent oranges. The hatch slid open and Thor drew Stormbreaker from his back, watching the ash-coated ground for a good spot.

He leapt down and landed like a missile in the middle of a clearing, leaving an impact crater the size of a small swimming pool. We flew past him several yards. Acrid wind blew my silver-white hair away from my face and neck as I waited for Loki to slow enough that I could survive the jump. The ship lowered to the proper distance and I breathed deeply, willing myself to be brave.

Just before I moved, Loki appeared at my side. His expression was strange: equal parts proud and fierce and worried. He leaned down to my height, but he didn’t touch me. His voice rang in my ears.

“Show them,” he said. “Show them who you are, little warrior.”

I had no idea why, but it was exactly what I needed to hear.

I jumped out of the ship and let the momentum carry me into a front roll. I shoved myself up from my knees and watched the ship breeze past me and then vanish from sight. I checked over where Thor had been. I saw the beautiful arc of his lightning already flashing up from the ground. Tremors shook the soil as he roared and plunged the ax into the earth to alert the aliens to his presence. That was my signal.

I lowered my hands to my sides and summoned my ice magic to me. Ice crystals formed in mid-air around me and then adhered to my combat suit. I packed it on in layer after layer, until at last I had created an armor thick as steel but light enough to allow me to walk towards him.

And as I did, the shadows unleashed their terrors.

The aliens looked like horrible mixes between insects and lizards. They had too many arms, too many claws, not enough skin, and awful gaping jaws. They released screeches as they poured up from out of the ground by the hundreds and pounded the earth as they raced towards the God of Thunder.

Towards me.

Thor swung Stormbreaker above his head, gathering the headwinds, his eyes electric bright with the power of his lightning. He waited until they were only yards away and then ran towards me. The thin, dead trees snapped under the wake of the aliens racing towards us. So many. They were like an ant colony, almost, moving as one, ready to go to war without thinking twice.

I lifted one arm and formed my rapier in my right hand. Then I nodded to Thor.

He leapt into the sky, safely out of range.

And I brought the rapier down into the scorched earth, and let my ice magic fly loose.

At first, nothing happened.

Then, the very ground shook like an earthquake had erupted beneath it, and the ice swallowed every alien within a two mile radius.

Every single alien froze instantly. Many froze in mid-motion and crashed to the ground in thick, icy chunks of dead creature. Not a single one of them survived my wrath.

Not.

_One._

I knew how many I’d killed. The Casket whispered it to me. Seven-thousand, two-hundred, and thirty-eight monsters perished by my hand.

Good riddance.

I pulled the rapier from the frost-covered earth and scanned the horizon, but nothing living met my gaze. It was over.

Above me, I heard Thor’s booming laughter as he sailed back towards the ground. “Beautifully done, my lady!”

I tilted my head up to grin at him, and as I did, a shadow swept over both of us.

Then Loki’s raw, panicked voice filled my ears over the comm-link.

“ _Run._ Run for your life, kitten.”

Too late, my eyes put together the shape that had blotted out what little sun made it through the haze on Dreadnaught: a ship that had to be the size of three cruise liners on earth, but it was long and twisted. Colossal engines breathed fire down that melted part of the dead aliens. It had appeared so suddenly that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it had been in light-speed beforehand.

It was Thanos’ ship.

I didn’t hesitate; I turned on my heel to dive for one of the tunnels that the aliens had wriggled onto the surface from, but even as I did, it was too late.

A beam of pure light and gravity enveloped me in its grip. I screamed as it slung me up into the air, spiraling out of control. Thor shouted my name and I could see him reach for me, but he missed my hand by mere inches.

Then everything went dark.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frosty fights to survive aboard Thanos' ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um...remember a few chapters ago where I said we had rough seas ahead and to bring a raincoat? This is what I meant.

I woke up in chains.

Dark. Too dark. Couldn’t see much. Just some kind of closed in corridor.

I was on my knees. My ankles were in cuffs bolted to the floor. My arms were bound behind my back by two separate kinds of metal bindings. There was a thick manacle around my neck as well that was bolted to the floor too. The air felt thin. Too thin to breathe. I sucked in as much as much as I possibly could, but it didn’t stop the dizziness or the terror racing through me as I realized my worst nightmare had come true.

I was Thanos’ captive.

“No,” I whispered hoarsely, shaking my head. “Fuck this. Fuck this shit.”

I gritted my teeth and summoned my ice magic.

Nothing happened.

I sucked in more desperate breaths in the thin air and tried again. Still, nothing.

Oh God.

“I never much cared for Terrans.”

I froze.

Someone spoke to me in the darkness. I couldn’t really see the source. It seemed to emanate around the room with its depth, and cold fear slithered down my spine.

“They’re a messy species,” the voice continued. “Short-sighted. Desperate. Selfish. It would be a waste of my energy to snuff you out when you so willingly kill each other in your meager little wars for land or pride or whatever it is that you seek. It wasn’t until your Avengers that I had to take notice of your planet, and even then, sometimes they were still useful to me.”

Movement. Sounded like leather and armor scraping against something. I kept still and just listened.

“And then I return from my most recent conquest to find my legion destroyed. Wiped out in a single blast of power that should have been impossible. Thousands of soldiers. Useful soldiers. Gone in a blink. Because of a Terran.”

A thin strip of light somewhere in front of me revealed a face. It was broad and weathered, and the wrong color—a sickly purple, with lines like furrows in the jaw. Gold glinted in his helmet and shoulders, and in other points of his armor. Empty eyes stared dispassionately as I knelt there, motionless, struggling to breathe.

Thanos sighed and shook his head. “I should have known better.”

The floor shuddered as he knelt in front of me and took my chin between two of his massive fingers. My bones creaked under his grip, even though I knew he wasn’t squeezing. “Curious thing. Not much stronger than maybe the witch, and yet you wiped out my army. Doesn’t surprise me that the Asgardians came with you; they have a bone to pick with me too, but I thought it would be the Odinson who struck first.”

He let me go. “No matter. Just as my men were useful, you will be too.”

“W-What…are you…talking about…asshole?” I gasped out.

A humorless smile slid over his lips. “You won the battle, little one. Not the war. The Asgardians will come for you. The Avengers will come for you. And they will lose the war.”

“They won’t,” I snarled, and coughed as the loud outburst made me lose precious oxygen. “I went against orders. They’ll plan. They’ll stop you.”

Thanos stood. “Normally, they would. They’re very tactical, these Avengers. Took me a lot longer to know them than I would have liked, and they have even managed to surprise me.”

Another being appeared in front of me. He was tall, thin, wrinkled, and his eyes were just as empty as Thanos’ had been. “I’ll have to thank them for this gift.”

He glanced at the wrinkled alien. “Maw, I trust you know your task?”

Ebony Maw nodded. “Of course, sire.”

“I want the transmission sent to them by hour’s end.” Thanos glanced at me again. “Thank you, little one.”

He disappeared into the darkness. Ebony Maw leaned forward until I could see his hideous face more closely. “You reek of the Jotun. Has he told you of our special time together, Terran?”

I couldn’t breathe…but I could spit.

I hocked the biggest loogie my body could produce and spat it right where his nose should have been.

Ebony Maw snarled and straightened, wiping my saliva from his ugly face. He clenched one fist and the manacle around my neck tightened until I had no air left. Pain seized every nerve in my body. Just before I could black out, he relinquished his telekinesis. I slurped in air as fast as I could, savoring it.

“Congratulations, little worm,” he sneered. “I will make you yelp worse than the Jotun. Then we’ll see how defiant you are.”

I had just enough life left in me for one more comment. “Go fuck yourself, Squidward.”

Then I lost consciousness.

* * *

Agony.

My whole world was _agony_.

It never ceased. It never slackened. It persisted. It was everything and everywhere. It had no source. It just consumed me.

I tried to remain strong. Maybe I did. I couldn’t remember. At first, I counted the seconds. I told myself that I wasn’t all that strong, that my body would give out and I’d be released from this pain soon enough.

Ebony Maw knew better.

Each time I reached a point of no return, he’d stop. Every millisecond he left me alone was heaven compared to what he had done to me.

But then he would start anew.

At some point, I stopped being human. I stopped being a person. I returned to the primordial thing that once crawled out of the ocean or dropped from the finger of God in Eden. I became a creature. An animal. I just wanted it to stop.

God, why wouldn’t it stop?

* * *

“Kitten.”

My eyelids cracked a fraction. They had long been crusted over with tears. I’d been here too long to calculate, and was too weak for them to bothering chaining me up, so I reached up enough to wipe the grit from my eyes so I could look around my cell.

“Kitten, focus.”

I squinted at the darkness. I knew that voice. Just couldn’t think of a name. Someone I used to know a lifetime ago.

“Focus on me, kitten,” the silken voice whispered.

“Go ‘way,” I muttered, and shut my eyes again. “I’m tired.”

“No, you must focus or I will lose the connection. Open your eyes, kitten. Look at me.”

“No,” I whispered, and curled into a ball, trying to warm my fragile body. “You’re not real.”

“I am real,” the voice said, strained with frustration. “Look at me.”

“Alone,” I mumbled. “You’re still alone. It’s not real.”

The voice made a harsh, pained noise. “Kitten… _please._ Please look at me.”

Please. I’d never heard that voice say please to me before. The name finally returned to my starved mind.

Loki.

Weakly, I tilted my head until I could aim my gaze in the direction of the voice. I could see a very, very faint outline of a tall, handsome, pale man standing in the corner of my cell. I hadn’t eaten in days, so it was hard to remember him. But I knew that name. I knew that voice. Loki.

“That’s it,” he said gently. “We are close, but I need you to keep your attention upon me. We’re trying to find you. Do you know where you are, kitten?”

“Cold. Dark. Lost.”

Loki drew in a breath. “I know. I know, sweetling. But we are so close. Stay with me. I just need a little more time.”

“I’m tired,” I said. “I’m so tired, Loki.”

“I know you are. But you’re strong. If there is one thing you taught me, it is that you are too stubborn to die.”

 _What was so wrong with death,_ I lamented to myself. It was better than this place. Better than hell.

Another man’s voice joined Loki’s. “She’s fading.”

“No!” Loki swore and said my name. I managed to keep my eyes open a bit longer, but I wanted to sleep so badly. “Look at me! You will _not_ die, do you hear me? You _will_ come back to us. You _will_ come back to my idiot brother. I swear, if I have to drag you out of there myself, _you will live_.”

The edges of the room faded out until only the ethereal shadow remained. I drew my last few breaths. “I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough.”

“Damn you, don’t do this!”

I faded away.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it all over for Frosty or is it just beginning?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, alright, fine, I was mean for last chapter, I admit it. Therefore, you're getting the final chapter a little faster than I could have. Yep, this is the end of the road. Thanks for joining us!

Someone lifted me up.

I didn’t have any strength left. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t see.

But I could hear.

“Is she breathing?”

“Just barely. Get her the hell out of here _right now_.”

“Where’s Thor?”

“With Reindeer Games, tag-teaming Thanos’ number one and number two. Strange is distracting the Purple People Eater, and I’ve got to meet him there with the other stones. Two minutes until this thing blows and anyone on it’s going up with it. Move it, Cap.”

My body twisted. Careful hands maneuvered me until my limp form draped over someone’s broad, muscular back. “Come on, kid. Stay with me. We’re here. We’re all here.”

Boots on metal. Explosions. Blasts. Shouts of anger. I dipped in and out of my surroundings at random, no idea what the hell was going on, but it was loud and violent. Nothing seemed to clear until I heard a familiar voice, like sunshine breaking through storm clouds.

As we passed the main hull, I got one final look.

Six Avengers. Six stones. Each of them wielding one to hold Thanos in one spot.

Thor’s roar shook the very ship to its core as he lifted Stormbreaker and brought it down in one swift, powerful stroke.

Thanos’ head tumbled to the floor of his own ship.

I smiled. Finally, I could rest.

* * *

I rested. I rested well, actually.

I didn’t remember dreaming, though. Maybe I did and maybe I didn’t. I just knew when I woke up that I had been out for quite some time. No clue how much.

I woke up in my bedroom. It was dark and quiet.

Until I heard a page turn.

“Welcome back, kitten.”

I rolled my head to one side to look at him. “Who the hell said you could be in my room, serpent?”

“I did,” Loki said blithely, licking his thumb to turn another page.

“It’s my room,” I insisted. “I make the rules.”

“I drew the short straw in watching over you,” he sniffed, not bothering to look up. “Trust me, I have no desire to spend my hours in your dingy little hovel.”

I tried to laugh, but just wheezed instead. My body jostled and then I noticed the IV bag feeding fluids into my right arm. Loki did finally glance up at me then, but he quickly hid any sign of concern behind his usual arrogant mask.

“Go back to sleep, kitten. You are tired.”

I nodded. “I am tired.”

My breathing sped up. Tired. Alone. Pain. Ebony Maw.

What if this wasn’t real?

I tried to scoot to a sitting position, desperately searching for something to jab into me to tell if I was just dreaming and I was still on Thanos’ ship, being tortured. I found the edge of the tape to the IV and stripped it off, reaching for the needle.

“No!” Loki darted to my side and held my wrists. “No, that needs to stay.”

“There,” I gasped out. “I-I was there, Loki, he had me, and he did things—oh _God_ —horrible things to me, Loki, I can’t, I can’t go back there ever again, please don’t make me go—”

His eyes widened and his grip tightened on my arms. “Calm down, kitten. You are safe.”

I shook my head wildly and thrashed, trying to leave the bed. “No, no, not another trick, please, please!”

“Listen to me!” he said, grabbing my face in his hands. “You are safe. Look, look at me, kitten.”

Tears slipped down both my cheeks. “But what if—”

“No,” Loki said. “No, you are not still there. You are here. You are home. Repeat it.”

“H-Home,” I whispered, shaking all over from the weight of the word. “I’m…home.”

“Yes,” he said. “That’s it. Home. You are home. You are safe.”

“Safe. I’m safe.” I didn’t care that it was still Loki; I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his neck, shaking with the effort it took not to cry harder. He didn’t move at first, but then his arms slipped around my back. It was a little awkward, but he still held me, running his hand down my back.

“Loki,” I whispered. “He…broke me.”

“You are not broken,” he said in return. “For one cannot break a storm.”

Loki drew away and stared down at me. “You are a storm. You are hellfire. You are the cold wind that makes men shiver to their core. We won the war because of you.”

After a moment, he wiped my tears away with the back of his fingers and pressed his forehead to mine. “And the instant that I knew you were safe, I drove my blade into Maw’s chest and ripped him from the living world just as I swore that I would years ago.”

Relief flooded over me. That was right. Ebony Maw was dead. That monster, and his master, were both dead. And universe was a better place for it.

“How did you guys find me?”

“You are tired,” he said again, and pushed me down into the nest of pillows behind me. “Thor will explain when you wake. Rest.”

It frustrated me, but he wasn’t wrong. I ached all over and I was scared, and even though I felt more like myself, I wanted to sleep. I curled up around one pillow and forced myself to calm down enough to rest. I chewed my lip and then asked in a small voice, “Will you stay?”

Loki smiled and leaned over me, kissing my brow. “Silly kitten. Where else have I to go?”

* * *

The next time I woke up, I was in the company of a different son of Odin.

I stirred a little just before opening my eyes and felt something solid and warm beside my thigh. My eyes drifted open to see the top of Thor’s head. His arms were folded to support his head as he slept slumped forward on my bed, the rest of him in a chair. Every minute or so, he’d snore a little bit. It was very cute.

Once I moved, Thor made a sleepy rumble and awoke, sitting up and rubbing his eye. I’d deeply missed that adorable look of his when he first woke up. I couldn’t help but smile. “Morning, sunshine.”

He smiled back. “Good morning, my beautiful lady.”

Thor scooped up my hand and kissed the back of it tenderly. “I am so very glad you are awake.”

I drew in an anticipatory breath. “Well, let’s get this over with: how long was I out?”

Thor winced. “Five days.”

I swallowed and nodded. “Yeah, sounds about right. And…how long was I…there?”

Thor grimaced. “Eight days.”

I shuddered. “I don’t remember much. Or I don’t want to remember it right now.”

Thor squeezed my fingers. “Do not force yourself to remember it. The doctors have stressed to allow you to rest and things will return on their own, if they do at all. You must stay grounded in the knowledge that you are here and safe and among friends again.”

“Friends,” I snorted. “Yeah, I very much doubt that. How angry were they when you told them what we did?”

Thor tried to school his face, but he couldn’t help looking at bit sheepish. “They were livid. However, it turns out that Loki’s information had been timely; the Children of Thanos, Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight, attacked the same day that we left for Dreadnaught. Thanos had been preparing to extract the army that day we destroyed it. If we had not killed them, then they would have invaded Midgard.”

Images flashed in my head, then, of the day of my rescue. “How did you get the stones?”

“Thanos already had the power, reality, and soul stone in his possession when we assaulted the ship.” A sharp, spiteful smile slid across his lips. “We…relieved him of them.”

I vividly recalled Thanos’ head rolling across the floor of his ship. Good riddance. “Good. How’d you find me?”

“Loki’s connection to the Casket. According to him, anyone who possesses it puts a little of themselves into it, and vice versa. He asked Vision to see if he could find a connection between your minds since you had both interacted with the Casket, and it worked. We were able to find you first instead of giving in to the demands Thanos had of trading you for the stones at a rendezvous point.”

I licked my lips. “Then I take it you saw…?”

Thor shuddered and squeezed my hand again. “What Maw did to you. Yes, they sent it as a ransom note.”

He pressed his forehead to my wrist. “My lady, I am so very sorry. If it were within my power, I would raise him from the dead just to kill him again, and slower this time. I will never ask your forgiveness for failing you that day.”

I lifted his chin with my other hand. “Thor, you didn’t fail me. I knew the risks. Both of you warned me. We all paid a price stopping Thanos, but we did it, and that’s good enough for me.”

“You are too kind,” Thor whispered. “I…nearly lost it when they took you. We could not find you, and every day you were out there, I thought I would go mad with anger. I cannot imagine how alone you must have felt.”

“It was hell,” I said quietly. “But it did comfort me to know you would never stop until you found me, dead or alive, and I knew you would end Thanos once and for all.”

“I do not deserve your faith, milady. I am not worthy of it.”

I shook my head a bit. “You are worthy whether you succeed or fail, Thor. Always. It’s who you are. You never quit. You sacrifice everything to help others. What could be more worthy than that?”

Thor rose then and sat next to me, cupping my face in his hand. He stroked my cheekbone with his thumb, just staring at me as if memorizing my features. Good. I was doing the same thing. I thought I’d never see him again, and now, being with him, filled me with a deep sense of peace. It was a strange sensation, feeling that no matter what would happen, I could rely on him. I wouldn’t have to do it all by myself, as I had done for most of my life. What struck me is that it had nothing to do with sex or attraction. Thor liked me. He cared for me, as a person, not just someone he lusted after. It hadn’t really happened to me before, being friends with a lover.

Trust. That was the word. A small, but powerful word. I trusted Thor, and he trusted me.

“You,” he told me softly. “And if you allow it, I will spend every moment reminding you of how wonderful you are.”

I smiled. “Back atcha, big guy.”

He kissed me. It was the first pleasant sensation I had felt in days. I wished it would go on for eternity.

“Get in here,” I whispered, and he chuckled, pulling back the covers. He crawled into bed on the other side, careful of my IV line, and folded me into his chest. I rested my head against him and snuggled down into his embrace, inhaling that familiar scent of forest and dew. It wouldn’t eradicate the horrors in my mind. It wouldn’t turn back time and erase what happened to me. But I could learn to live with it. And that was good enough for now.

* * *

“We saved the universe,” Tony Stark said. “Go Team Avengers. Undefeated champions of existence. We all earned that title.”

He tucked his hands into his pockets and paced a little bit where he stood at the edge of the conference table. “And I can’t be prouder of us. This was it. This was the big league, the last fight, the all-or-nothing brawl to end a conflict that’s been building for over ten years. We got lucky, for the most part.”

His brown eyes strayed over to me. “Some of us less than others.”

He returned to his spot at the head of the table. “You were understandably unconscious for most of the conversations we had, so I’ll recap. We don’t operate in smaller factions. It’s a one-team dynamic. We’ve already seen what happens when you try to compartmentalize and run your own missions without telling the rest of us. It ends bloody and messy for everyone. That whole cloak-and-dagger routine with Loki will never happen again. Because if it does, you’re off the team. Period. Doesn’t matter how much we all like you, kid. We can’t have hidden agendas. We can’t make decisions without telling the rest of the team, because it’s not just you who has to live with the consequences—it’s all of us. And this isn’t some Accords bullshit that I’m talking about.”

Tony heaved a sigh and lifted his shades enough to rub at his sinuses. “I was going crazy when they told me you got snatched. Bouncing off the walls, punching concrete, tearing my hair out _crazy_ , Frosty. That’s what it comes down to at the end of the day. Thanos sent that footage of what he let that rat bastard do to you, and I wanted to rip him in half. But I couldn’t do that because I didn’t know where you were. I didn’t know you had a master plan. I didn’t know anything, and it was the worst feeling in the world seeing you suffer like that.”

He settled the shades onto his nose. “You wanted to do the right thing. I get that. You saw an opportunity and took advantage of it, and you were right. You and Wormtongue were both right. You helped save countless innocent lives those things would have taken, and that’s why you get a one-time pass with us.”

Tony narrowed his eyes at me. “But you are on probation. I want you on your best behavior from here on out. And if I get even an inkling that Revenge of the Sith is trying to get you to go Dark Side, you’re both out in the street. Kapishe?”

I saluted him. “Sir, yes, sir.”

He snorted a bit. “Wow, I thought I was better at threatening than this. Maybe I should have suited up first. You millennials. Nothing scares you but social interaction and Republican presidents.”

I snorted right back. “Gee, thanks, Tony.”

He finally walked over and plopped down in a seat across from me, and slapped my knee affectionately. “So how are you feeling, kiddo? Rhetorical question, of course, but I’ve got to ask.”

“Most of it is blocked out,” I told him. “When it comes back, I’ll let you know.”

He nodded solemnly. “Trauma’s a bitch. It…sneaks up on you. It fights dirty. Makes you think you have nothing when you actually have a lot more than you think. If you need to talk…well, talk to Thor, but if you need top-shelf alcohol and sarcasm, I’m your guy.”

I laughed a bit. “Thanks, Tony.”

“How’d you do it, by the way?”

I cocked my head slightly. “Do what?”

“Whatever magic you worked to make both sons of Odin crazy about you.”

I blushed so deeply I nearly fell out of my chair from all my blood relocating into my cheeks. “I did no such thing.”

Tony laughed. “Oh, it’s too late, Frosty. I found out about you and Point Break the minute you went missing. Guy’s got it bad. I should have known, of course. He was sweet on you from day one. I just thought you might’ve been too shy to go for it, but hey, shows what I know.”

He crossed his arms. “Loki surprised me. Didn’t think he’d take a shine to anyone on this planet, let alone you. What’s going on there?”

“Nothing, Tony,” I said, exasperated. “Loki gets bored and wants someone to torment, and that happens to be me.”

“Uh-huh,” he said, unconvinced. “Because everyone he annoys gets their own pet name.”

Tony lifted an eyebrow and added, “Kitten.”

I blushed harder. “It’s not a term of endearment! He literally calls me that because I am small and helpless in his eyes.”

“And cute,” Tony finished for me. “And irresistible. So what’s the plan to nip this in the bud?”

“None of your business,” I sniffed. “Iron Dad.”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. Just handle it. In the meantime, take it slow. You’re on inactive status for at least two weeks until the doctor clears you. Loki told us about the Casket. Any chance you’ve experimented to see what’s left of it?”

I nodded. “I’m not one hundred percent, but some of my ice magic is coming back to me. I think maybe the Casket might be why I lasted so long.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, kid,” he said. “I saw the footage of you on Dreadnaught. Incredible. I’m still not groovy with your choice, but I can’t argue with the results. You’re a helluva fighter. I knew you were the right choice when I first saw you, and I stand by it.”

My breath caught. I wasn’t sure if he’d ever said anything so complimentary to me before. “T-Thank you.”

“Welcome back, Frosty. Now beat it. You’re still grounded.”

I huffed grumpily and stood up. I eyed him, and then gave him a quick, but heartfelt hug. “Thank you, Tony. For everything. Sorry I worried you.”

“Glad you’re back, kiddo,” he said in an uncharacteristically sentimental tone. “Wasn’t the same without you.”

I needed a bit of fresh air after being indoors for so long. I grabbed a book from the rec room shelf and went outside to read for a while.

Sometime later, the patio door slid back and I glanced up to see Thor. I smiled. "Hey."

He smiled back, but didn't reply as he walked towards me. He cupped my cheek and kissed me. It was slow and hungry. He pulled away for just a second, his breath shallow, and leaned in again, but this time, I brought my hand up to cover his mouth.

"Nice try, Loki."

A disgruntled noise left him. Then, after a moment, Thor's visage faded away and Loki scowled down at me. "If you knew it was me, why did you let me kiss you?"

"Because you wanted to kiss me," I said simply. "And because I was a little curious."

"Mm. How did you know it was me?"

"Your walk," I said, nodding towards the door. "Thor carries himself differently than you do. And I felt your magic when you touched me."

"Talented, perceptive, and a little defiant," he said, toying with the edges of my hair. "All things I find rare and attractive in a woman."

"A woman who is dating your brother," I reminded him, and then sighed. "Look, you don't want to have sex with me, Loki."

He arched an eyebrow. "I am relatively certain that I do."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Physically speaking, yes, you do want to have sex with me, but that's not really the point. Do you know what you actually want?"

"Oh, please do tell me," he said, rolling his eyes in return.

"Intimacy. But emotional intimacy, which usually goes hand in hand with sex, so you're confusing the two things. I think both of us are better off if we try being friends."

"Friends," he said, as if the word were distasteful.

"Yes. Friends. I'm not gonna knit you a sweater or anything, but if you need things, you can ask me. If you need to talk to someone, you can talk to me. If you need...I don't know...physical contact, you can have that with me. I don't mind it. You were kind of right in your own way that we both have a sort of bond from being raised by people who weren't our biological parents, so I get it. It's difficult to keep up this loner thing, and you don't actually have to do it. And I don't have a history with you the way that you do with Thor. So...maybe sometimes, we can just...exist around each other."

He gave me a long, shrewd stare. "I will take it into consideration, but I make no promises. Fair enough, kitten?"

"Fair enough, serpent." I paused, chewing my lip as I considered if I wanted this question answered. "Why did you kiss me?"

"You helped save half the universe," he said. "I wanted to thank you properly."

I lifted an eyebrow. "So did the rest of the Avengers."

Loki snorted softly. "They are not an attractive woman who let me unbutton her shirt."

I shook my head. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"

"No," Loki said, eyes twinkling. "You will not."

He leaned down and kissed my cheek, but hung near my ear for an extra second. "Should you change your mind, I have other ways of thanking you. Thoroughly. Intimately. For hours and hours."

It took a massive amount of self-control not to shiver. He still scared me a little, but that was...wow, something else to hear from him. He may have been the God of Lies, but somehow I knew damn well he wasn't at all lying about how he'd like to "thank" me.

The patio door opened again and Thor stood there. He smiled at the both of us. "Come, lunch is ready."

He started to go, and then chuckled and glanced at his brother. "Oh, Loki?"

"Yes, brother?"

"If you kiss my girlfriend again, I will rip out your internal organs and stuff them down your throat," he said cheerfully.

I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Loki rolled his eyes very hard this time. "Understood, brother."

"Cheers." Thor shut the door behind him.

"It's gonna be a good day, isn't it?" I asked the God of Mischief. He held his elbow out to me, and I took it.

“A marvelous day indeed, kitten.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will there be sequels? I can't say one way or another, since this was simply an experiment. Maybe the wind will blow by me someday and I'll get inspired. For now, I'm happy I explored this odd little AU and I hope you guys enjoyed it too.


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